This morning as I wrote my newsletter I was reminded of this little story that I grew up with and I would like to share with you:

You are mine, twice over

There once was a little boy who loved working with wood.  One year he spent his time lovingly making a little boat.  He carved it so it was just perfect.  He made everything that this little boat needed so carefully.  When he was finished it his parents took him to the seaside to play with his new creation.

The boat floated perfectly – as he knew it would – as he had spent so much time just getting it right.  He was delighted as he watched his boat bob up and down.  Then a slightly bigger wave come and dragged his boat off with it.  The little boy couldn’t swim so by the time he got his parents the boat was far out of reach.  He sadly watched his creation float away on the big open sea waves.

He went home a very sad little boy.  He had lost his most treasured possession.

His parents urged him to go back and work on some more wood but he knew that that little boat was special and he never did make another.

A few years later he was holidaying with his family and he walked past an antique shop.  Something caught his eye – a boat – not any boat – his boat!  He couldn’t believe his eyes he ran in and tried to take his boat back.  In his mind it was his – he had made it!   But the shop owner said that he had to pay a price.  The price was $50.00.  The little boy had never had $50.00 in his life but he loved that boat and was determined to get it back.  Over the next few months he worked so hard – always with his boat in his mind – he worked and earnt that $50.00.  His dad took him back to the antique shop where the little boy handed over the $50.00 which he had worked so hard for.  The shop owner handed over the boat.

As the little boy walked out of that shop he said lovingly to his boat – “There! you are mine twice over now – I made you and now I have bought you!”

That is exactly what God has done for us – we are His twice over – He made us and he bought us by dying on the cross.  How can we ever question our self worth?  If God would declare us as “good” when He made us, and then died for us to pay the price for our walking away from Him – who are we to argue.  We must learn to believe in Gods word – God says it – it is true.