Today was Peter’s birthday. He quickly put on his clothes and went downstairs. Even before he reached the kitchen, he could smell the good home-made biscuits baking in the oven.

Peter loved ‘morning time’ in his house. He looked forward to mama’s warm smile that always greeted him. He never knew his Dad, but Grandpa Jake was just like a Dad and Peter was glad that his grandpa lived with them.

"So, we’ve got ourselves a birthday boy today, do we?" His grandpa’s eyes twinkled over his old horn-rimmed glasses when he spoke to his grandson who had entered the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table.

“Yup, you sure do grandpa." The young boy replied with a big smile.

"How old are you son?" Grandpa Jake asked, with a grin.

"Six!" Peter replied proudly, putting up six fingers.

Peter’s mother sat down at the table and after they said grace, they began to eat.

"Peter," his mother said, "what would you like for your birthday?" Peter didn’t even take a moment to think before he eagerly replied,

"I’d like that pretty blue bike in Parson’s Department Store window."

 "Well now," his mother replied, "as I remember, that bike costs a lot of money, and we did talk about that...do you remember?"

Peter looked at his mother and nodded, "uh huh...I remember, but that’s what I’d like."

His mother stopped eating and stared thoughtfully at her son, then she asked,

 "Peter, why do you like that club house out back so much?"

Peter swallowed the food in his mouth. "I...I guess," there was a little frown on his brow, "I think...it’s because grandpa and I made it together...with our own hands."

He turned to his grandfather with a satisfied look on his face. "Right grandpa?"

His grandfather gave him a quick wink with a smile and nodded in his head in agreement.

The three of them finished breakfast without talking. His grandfather got up first and went out towards the back of the house. Mama got up and began clearing the table and Peter helped her.

"Peter, do you remember that old bike at Mr. Dole’s Secondhand Shop?" His mother asked.

Peter looked at his mother. "Yeah, I do. What about it?"

 "Why don’t you go out back," his mother smiled at him, "your grandpa has a big surprise for you."

Peter stood still. His eyes followed his mother’s movements as she continued cleaning up the kitchen. His heart sank and his shoulders slumped. In his mind he saw that old rusty bike that had been in the same spot, for what seemed like, forever. The color had long ago faded away and it had only one wheel and no seat.

Peter tried hard not to show his disappointment, as he slowly made his way to the back of the house. When he opened the screen door and went outside, he kept his eyes on his shoes as he rounded the corner of the house to the back yard. He took his time raising his head, but as he did his eyes and mouth both opened wide and then wider!

For there was his Grandpa standing next to the prettiest blue bike he had ever seen! Why, it was even prettier than the one in Parson’s Department Store window! There was a streak of white in the pretty blue and there were brand new wheels and a fine white seat sitting in the midst of shiny chrome that was so bright, the sunlight danced on it with rainbow colors. He had no idea how his grandpa had done it, but he knew why he had done it...just for him!

 "Oh, Grandpa!" Peter yelled, as he ran towards his grandfather, who scooped him up in his arms. "I love you grandpa." Peter said over and over again, as he hugged his grandfather with all his might.

 "I love you too, son," Grandpa Jake replied hugging his grandson back, "I love you too."

Many years later, Peter’s mother sat on the front row next to his grandfather, who was in a wheelchair. His grandfather’s eyes filled with tears, as he listened to Peter begin his trial sermon speaking from the pulpit.

His text was taken from the book of 1 Corinthians, verse 13:13.

“It is,” he began, “so amazing when we realize just how much everything which happens in our lives influences us. My grandfather had no idea of the powerful lesson he was teaching me twenty years ago. I am reminded this morning of a wonderful blue bike...the best birthday present I’ve ever received.” He stared affectionately at his grandfather as he went on. “I was only six years old, but I’ve never forgotten it. I’ve never forgotten it because that gift taught me something. It taught me about the sacrifice that goes into...real love. My grandfather took an old discarded rusty bike from a secondhand shop, and he worked on it and worked on it until he made it… even better than a brand new one. That bike to me was priceless! Why, you couldn’t find a bike like that one in any store. And he did it all because…he loved me.

And so, I am also reminded today of another gift that I will never forget - another sacrifice that was done so that ‘we’ could become ‘better’ than brand new! The cost of that sacrifice which was made for us was priceless! The worth of all its benefits, cannot ever be duplicated or evaluated! 

I’ll never understand how Jesus came to love us that way, but He did! And I’m glad about it! How about you?!”

Many in the congregation responded with lusty…Amens and Hallelujahs!

In fact,” he went on enthusiastically, “I’ll never stop thanking Him for it! I get happy every time I think about it! That, for you,” he pointed at the congregation. “That, for me,” he pointed at himself. “And for all mankind!” He spread his arms open wide, “Our God became a timeless, everlasting, and eternal...’Gift of Love’!"

THE END  

1Corn 13:13

(c)9/10/1991jmsbell