And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. Luke 2:16
It was 7:30 P.M. on Christmas Eve, and our college-age son Chris, who’d just flown in from California, was going out to buy gifts for the family. “Why bother?” I told him. “You’re not going to find anything. The stores are all closed.”
I was still skeptical when he returned proclaiming, “Mom, I got some good stuff. You all are going to love what I got you!”
When Christmas morning arrived, we were indeed surprised by our gifts. I certainly didn’t expect to unwrap a new pair of windshield-wiper blades. “I really needed these,” I admitted, remembering how my windshield was always smeared.
“The gas station was open Christmas Eve,” Chris said.
My husband was surprised to find a gift certificate to our favorite Chinese restaurant. Chris’s brother John received passes to the movies.
I don’t remember any of the other gifts we gave or received that year, but Chris’s still stick in my mind—gifts I assumed would never materialize. They reminded me that the shepherds set out in the middle of the night, and followed their hearts and found Jesus. Yes, my best present that Christmas came disguised as a pair of windshield wipers. Chris’s last-minute gifts showed me that a seeking spirit will always be able to find God’s treasures.
Father, this Christmas as I thank You for the gift of Your Son, help me seek out the gifts and graces I need to keep growing spiritually.
