K i n o s Business BY M ARTH A S. HOOKER Dick’s Double Birthday
T h e fire glowed brightly in the fire place as Aunt Phoebe entered the living room to keep her appointment with Betty and Bobby. It was the story hour again, and the twins were eagerly waiting, feeding the fire in the meantime with large pine cones. “ Oh, we’re so glad you’ve come!” They both exclaimed at once as Aunt Phoebe took her usual chair before the comfortable fire. “We want to hear the story about Dick,” Bobby added. “Yes,” replied Aunt Phoebe, “ to night I shall tell you about Dick, the boy who had two birthdays — and a bicycle. Dick received his bicycle as a gift from his father on his twelfth birthday, and what a b e a u t i f u l bicycle it was! It was a lovely rasp berry color, bright and shining. Any boy would have been proud to own it. For months, Dick had been wanting a bicycle in order to get work deliver ing p a p e r s . Dick’s joy knew no bounds. He was soon trying the new bicycle out, riding from one friend’s house' to another’s, displaying his birthday gift. “ Finally it came my turn to see the new treasure. I heard Dick’s whistle even before I saw him proudly riding the new bicycle. “ ‘See what I got for my birthday!’ he exclaimed as he drew near. ‘Ain’t it swell?’ and ‘Was I ever surprised!’ were some of his exclamations as he dismounted and pushed the bicycle up for my inspection. “ Of course I rejoiced with Dick, for I knew how very much he had longed for a bicycle, but as I did so,’ I was thinking of another birthday , and an other Gift, the greatest and best that was ever given and I longed for Dick to receive this Gift, the Lord Jesus. “ ‘So this is your twelfth birthdav, Dick,’ I continued after viewing the
beautiful new bicycle. ‘How many birthdays do you have a year?’ “ ‘One of course,’ he promptly an swered, and his face was filled with amazement as I replied, ‘But I have two.’ “Then I went on to explain. ‘My first birthday, like yours, was the day that I was born into the family of my father and mother, but my second birthday was the day that I was born again and became a member of God’s family. Wouldn’t you like to have a second birthday, Dick?’ I asked. “ ‘Yes, I would,’ he eagerly replied, ‘but what must I do?’ “ Soon the shining bicycle was standing aside while Dick sat down by me on the front steps and heard the wonderful story of Jesus and His love. “ Of course we turned to God’s Word, and Dick read some of the pre-. cious salvation verses. Let us opemowr. Bibles now and read together the verses Dick read. “ First he read Romans 3:23: ‘For all have sinned . . .’ “ ‘How many have sinned?’ I ques tioned, and Dick’s read reply was, ‘All.’ “ ‘Does that include you?’ I further questioned. “ ‘Yes, it does,’ he quickly replied. . “ ‘Then read the verse again as though it. meant only you,-’ I advised. “Then .he read, ‘For I have sinned.’ “ ‘Sin separates us from God, Dick. It will keep you out of heaven,’ I con tinued, ‘but God doesn’t want you separated from Himself; He longs to have you with Him in heaven and throughout all eternity.’ “ Then we read 1 Timothy 1:15: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save Dick.’ “ ‘Isn’t that w o n d e r f u l ? ’ he ex
claimed, and I knew that the Holy Spirit had revealed the truth to Dick. “We next read John 1:12: ‘But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.’ “ ‘W ill you receive Him, Dick, as your own Saviour, the One who died for you?’ I asked. “ ‘Yes, I will,’ he replied eagerly and gladly. “ ‘Then, Dick, according to this verse which is God’s Word, you have become His child and have been bom into His family — and this day has become your second birthday. As for gifts, it is true that you have this won derful bicycle, but that cannot com pare with the gifts which you have received today by accepting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. You now have everlasting life, your name has been written in God’s Book of Life, and some day you are to go to live with Him forever in the beautiful heavenly home He has gone to prepare.’ “ It was all so wonderful to Dick that he seemed unable to say a word, but continued to sit quietly >on the steps, his face aglow with a new joy. Finally I said, ‘Let us thank Him, Dick, for these wonderful gifts,’ and together we voiced our praise to God, the heavenly Father. ■ “ ‘I’m going home now to tell Mother and Dad,’ he said, as he turned to the new bicycle, ‘and this will always be mv best birthday.’ And away he rode, whistling a tune which seemed to me to have a new gnd hap- p :er note. And that’ s the story about Dick that I promised to tell you.” “Well. Dick surelv had a wonderful birthdav.” It was Bobby who was first to speak. “ And I’m glad we’ve both, like Dick had a second b ir th d a v Bettv added, as the children said, “ Good night,” to Aunt Phoebe.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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