As Easter-time approaches, I have a story to share with those of you who – who feel burdened by their own weaknesses; a story for those who feel as through they’re just not good enough, and they never will be; they’ll never measure up to their own standards.

Stephen Robinson tells the story of a time when his 7 year old daughter, Sarah, approached him and said,

“Dad, can I have a bike? I’m the only kid on the block who doesn’t have one.”

Well, Dad didn’t have the money at the time, so he stalled her, “Sure, Sarah.” “How? When?” she wanted to know.

“You save all your pennies, and soon you’ll have enough [money] for a bike.”

Well, that seemed to satisfy Sarah and she went on her way.

A couple of weeks later, Dad heard a ‘clink-chink’ sound coming from Sarah’s bedroom. “Sarah, what are you doing?”

Sarah came out with a little jar, a slit cut in the lid, and a bunch of pennies in the bottom.

“You promised me that if I saved all my pennies, pretty soon I’d have enough for a bike. And Daddy, I’ve save every single one of them.”

Oh, Dad’s heart melted. His precious daughter was doing everything in her power to follow his instructions exactly. So he said, “Let’s go look at bikes.”

They went to every store in town, and finally they found ‘the perfect bike.’ Sarah was thrilled, that is until she saw the price tag. Disappointed, her countenance fell and she began to cry.

“Oh, Dad, I’ll never have enough for a bicycle.”

“Sarah, how much do you have?”

“Sixty-one cents.”

“I’ll tell you what. You give me everything you’ve got and a hug and a kiss, and the bike is yours.”

And so it may be with us. You have to know that none of us at the present time are [is] good enough to join our Father, and never will be without the grace of Christ. That is why we need and have a Savior, one who is both willing and capable of saving us, who says in effect, ‘I know you’re not perfect, and that you don’t have what it takes, but give me all that you have and all that you are, and I’ll make up the difference.’

And now, as to the making up of that difference, I declare to you as His servant, that He has, and He does, and He will.