Originally posted by Brenda Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:13:00 GMT on Pawn To King and is filed under True Stories
Recently, my husband’s reliable half-ton went in for its’ mandatory emissions test and came home with a rebellious tendency to quit or stall in the most untimely places - like perhaps the main intersection of a nearby town. Towed to our own personal mechanic, and unresponsive in revealing its’ new personality quirks; it was issued passage via a tow-truck to a more ‘diagnostic’ facility. There too, we met with fate as hubby was told it was no longer worth the expense of fixing his trusty, or should I say rusty, friend.
A quiet man of few words, he pondered his quandary and drove my own personal set of wheels home. Three drivers and one vehicle would not do, especially in our busy lives! The intensity of his workload would not permit perusing choices of vehicles at the moment, nor would he have time to be bothered selling it. It did not appear to be good for anything but parts at that point, and that was when the Lord put it on his heart...he was give the truck away.
There was a young man in the youth group of our local church who had a truck just like it. He made arrangements for him to take ownership, and went back to the dealers to square up what was owed. The gentleman behind the desk looked at him, pen in hand, and asked if he knew that that same young man was working for them, and that the young man had told with him what my husband had done. My husband explained that he had no idea, he just felt that he was to bless him with it. The gentleman, struck by my husband’s generosity towards his young employee, took the rather sizable bill, stroked a line across it, smiled and said, “Consider it paid in full.”
My delighted husband then went next to our own mechanic to settle his outstanding debts with him. He too inquired, as the outcome of our adventure, and was struck with my husbands’ heart to give the truck away to this young man. Curious as to how our bill faired out in the end, he listened as hubby shared how they cleared the bill since the young man worked for them. Good friends since childhood, our mechanic was not to be outdone – he grinned as he slid the bill across the counter, stroked across it with the pen, and said....“Consider it paid in full.”
Two days later, on Sunday morning, my husband showed up for his weekly stint in the sound-engineering booth. The father of the young man was playing on the worship team that morning and had already shared with the visual-technician, a dear friend, what hubby had done for his son. Our friend smiled from ear to ear. “That was a nice thing that you did. Did you know my son works for a car dealer? Well, we look after our ‘family’ here. I will be right back”, and he went off to make a phone call. His son would be on the lookout for a new vehicle for us as of that moment.
The next morning, our phone rang at 7:30 am. Our new friend had found the perfect vehicle for us... a Honda Oddyssey. Perfect it was, and in mint condition. The price was a steal! Details aside, the young man went as far as to go home, grab his own personal camera, shoot some pictures and email them to us. We, of course, were thankful to our faithful Lord for His exceptional provision and speedy orchestration!
Several phone calls later, it was arranged for them to drive 7-8 hours across the province and pick it up. All the details were being looked after on the other end. The father, our friend, would take the time and visit with his son, and would drive my hubby to Niagara Falls. My husband figured of course, that he would pay for the gas there and back for him. However, when it came to time pay, our friend had already paid it and knowing the story so far, chuckled and said, “Consider it paid in full.”
No problem. Hubby knew that they had a hotel room that he could pay for; he would reciprocate his friend’s time and trouble there. One can only imagine the stunned look on his face as the hotel clerk registered her final key strokes, looked over the counter, explained how the friend had done much business with them, handed them the key, and said in words of her own, “Consider it paid in full.”
No one noticed the license plate until I needed to find the van in a shopping mall parking lot, full of the same colour and make. We recognized that it was our initials and phone number on it, and I wondered how they were able to get us such a ‘personalized plate’ so quickly. Turns out it wasn’t a ‘personalized’ plate from them after all. They thought it was one they had ‘randomly’ picked from the pile, but we know better. I howl with laughter, every time I see God’s handprint and handiwork confirmed on the ends of our vehicle!
“Consider it paid in full”. Those words leave me awestruck with the mighty God we serve, every time that I hear them! Only God, Himself, could have orchestrated the events above, and only God, Himself, could have given such a message. When we are faithful to the obedience of Christ, He will bless us in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine!
No greater pause, however, should be given as to the message, blessings, and generosity in those words when we think of Christ.
I can just visualize Him hanging on the cross that day, uttering those powerful words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”... and now, as I lean in close...as He takes His last dying breath... I can imagine and hear the words He may have whispered quietly to all humanity...
“Consider it paid in full.”
Recently, my husband’s reliable half-ton went in for its’ mandatory emissions test and came home with a rebellious tendency to quit or stall in the most untimely places - like perhaps the main intersection of a nearby town. Towed to our own personal mechanic, and unresponsive in revealing its’ new personality quirks; it was issued passage via a tow-truck to a more ‘diagnostic’ facility. There too, we met with fate as hubby was told it was no longer worth the expense of fixing his trusty, or should I say rusty, friend.
A quiet man of few words, he pondered his quandary and drove my own personal set of wheels home. Three drivers and one vehicle would not do, especially in our busy lives! The intensity of his workload would not permit perusing choices of vehicles at the moment, nor would he have time to be bothered selling it. It did not appear to be good for anything but parts at that point, and that was when the Lord put it on his heart...he was give the truck away.
There was a young man in the youth group of our local church who had a truck just like it. He made arrangements for him to take ownership, and went back to the dealers to square up what was owed. The gentleman behind the desk looked at him, pen in hand, and asked if he knew that that same young man was working for them, and that the young man had told with him what my husband had done. My husband explained that he had no idea, he just felt that he was to bless him with it. The gentleman, struck by my husband’s generosity towards his young employee, took the rather sizable bill, stroked a line across it, smiled and said, “Consider it paid in full.”
My delighted husband then went next to our own mechanic to settle his outstanding debts with him. He too inquired, as the outcome of our adventure, and was struck with my husbands’ heart to give the truck away to this young man. Curious as to how our bill faired out in the end, he listened as hubby shared how they cleared the bill since the young man worked for them. Good friends since childhood, our mechanic was not to be outdone – he grinned as he slid the bill across the counter, stroked across it with the pen, and said....“Consider it paid in full.”
Two days later, on Sunday morning, my husband showed up for his weekly stint in the sound-engineering booth. The father of the young man was playing on the worship team that morning and had already shared with the visual-technician, a dear friend, what hubby had done for his son. Our friend smiled from ear to ear. “That was a nice thing that you did. Did you know my son works for a car dealer? Well, we look after our ‘family’ here. I will be right back”, and he went off to make a phone call. His son would be on the lookout for a new vehicle for us as of that moment.
The next morning, our phone rang at 7:30 am. Our new friend had found the perfect vehicle for us... a Honda Oddyssey. Perfect it was, and in mint condition. The price was a steal! Details aside, the young man went as far as to go home, grab his own personal camera, shoot some pictures and email them to us. We, of course, were thankful to our faithful Lord for His exceptional provision and speedy orchestration!
Several phone calls later, it was arranged for them to drive 7-8 hours across the province and pick it up. All the details were being looked after on the other end. The father, our friend, would take the time and visit with his son, and would drive my hubby to Niagara Falls. My husband figured of course, that he would pay for the gas there and back for him. However, when it came to time pay, our friend had already paid it and knowing the story so far, chuckled and said, “Consider it paid in full.”
No problem. Hubby knew that they had a hotel room that he could pay for; he would reciprocate his friend’s time and trouble there. One can only imagine the stunned look on his face as the hotel clerk registered her final key strokes, looked over the counter, explained how the friend had done much business with them, handed them the key, and said in words of her own, “Consider it paid in full.”
No one noticed the license plate until I needed to find the van in a shopping mall parking lot, full of the same colour and make. We recognized that it was our initials and phone number on it, and I wondered how they were able to get us such a ‘personalized plate’ so quickly. Turns out it wasn’t a ‘personalized’ plate from them after all. They thought it was one they had ‘randomly’ picked from the pile, but we know better. I howl with laughter, every time I see God’s handprint and handiwork confirmed on the ends of our vehicle!
“Consider it paid in full”. Those words leave me awestruck with the mighty God we serve, every time that I hear them! Only God, Himself, could have orchestrated the events above, and only God, Himself, could have given such a message. When we are faithful to the obedience of Christ, He will bless us in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine!
No greater pause, however, should be given as to the message, blessings, and generosity in those words when we think of Christ.
I can just visualize Him hanging on the cross that day, uttering those powerful words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”... and now, as I lean in close...as He takes His last dying breath... I can imagine and hear the words He may have whispered quietly to all humanity...
“Consider it paid in full.”
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