Bruce loved the sea and boats. To spend a day at the harbor watching the boats sail in and out was to him the best treat he could imagine. He lived with his parents in a town located along the shores of a great lake, and one desire was to have a little boat of his own to sail upon the blue waters.

One day his father said, "Bruce, why don't you make a boat? I will furnish all the materials and let you work in my shop."

This brought joy to the heart of the lad, and not long after that, he showed his father a boat of his own design and making. I believe he liked it a bit more than he would any other, because he had made it all himself. What love he had put into it. He had painted it red and blue, and with white sails it displayed the colors of our flag. It was not a boat large enough to carry people, but it could sail on the lake, held by a long cord.

One beautiful day; down to the lake went Bruce. Imagine his joy when he saw the boat proudly gliding on the blue waves! Of course, he guided it here and there by means of a long cord. All went well for a while. Then, "Clang, Clang," rang the fire alarm. The fire engine could be heard in the distance. Hurriedly fastening the cord, Bruce was off with the others. It was a big fire-a city block was swept away and Bruce lingered with the many others for a long time. Finally, however, his thoughts returned to his toy. Away he sped to the lake front-but alas, the little boat was no-where to be seen. Along the shore went Bruce straining his eyes for a glimpse of his red-white-and-blue boat, but not a trace of it could he find. His father suggested buying a new one for him, but Bruce said, "No, that would not be the one I made."

Weeks went by, and then one day a strange thing happened. Walking down the main street of his home town with his father, Bruce spied a little boat in a store window.

"Oh, Daddy," he cried, "There is my boat, my little red-white-and-blue boat."

"Are you sure?" his father asked.

"Oh, yes I'm sure; see the mark on the front?"

"But Bruce, there is a price on this boat. It is for sale," his father continued.

They entered the store, and Bruce, to his father's amazement, said to the storekeeper. "This is not your boat."

Then Bruce's father explained to the puzzled storekeeper the story of the little boat. The store-keeper said he bought this boat from a fisherman the very night of the big fire.

Turning to Bruce, the man said, "Laddie, I'll tell you what I'll do. Ill let you have the boat for the price I paid the fisherman. Will that be all right with you?"

Bruce's face gave the answer, so with his own money he purchased the little boat he himself had made. Lovingly Bruce took the little boat in his arms and as he left the store his father heard him say, "Little boat, you are really twice mine now. You are mine because I made you, and mine because I bought you."

All we, like sheep, have gone astray from the great God who made us. But He sent His only Son to pay the enormous price of His own blood on Calvary 's Cross to buy us back. So now we are twice His. First, because He made us. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2-7), then He lost us. (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12; Isaiah 53:6.) Second because He has redeemed us, or bought us back. (I Peter 1:18; Job 19:25; Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:12)

Surely in this we can see a picture of what God has done for man whom He had lost. We belong to Him, for He made us; not only this, for by sending His own beloved Son to die for us, He has bought us. Hence He has a double right to us, and He wants you to know it and enjoy His love. If you, like the prodigal, own that you have sinned, that you are lost, you will find, as he did, that the arms of love are waiting to receive you. The Lord Jesus Himself said "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10 ).

Just as the boy rejoiced over the recovery of his once lost boat, so, in an infinitely deeper way, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sin-ner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10). How true it is that "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way," but how wonderful to know that in deep, divine love for you, "the Lord hath laid on Him (Jesus] the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

What delight to the believer to bow in worship be-fore Him as Creator, for as we read, "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3). How it rejoices the believer's heart to praise and adore Him as Redeemer, saying, "Thou art worthy...for Thou wast slain, and hast re-deemed us to God by Thy blood" (Revelation 5:9). There is great blessing for time and eternity in owning His claims by faith.

Our earnest desire is that you may know the bless-edness and joy of being "Doubly His!" by being re-deemed by the precious blood of Christ, who died for you and rose again. Then the Saviour will be heard to say, "Rejoice with Me for I have found My sheep which was lost" (Luke 15:6).

-S.G.S.