SURPRISE GIFT
When Gabriel Hurles turned six a couple of years ago (January 2009), he was so focused on eating his birthday cake, that he hardly noticed the giant package in the corner of the room. When another child pointed out the large gift, Gabriel ran over and began to tear off the wrapping. It wasn’t a bicycle or any of the other items a six-year-old would want. It was his dad, Army Specialist Casey Hurles, home on leave from the war in Iraq. Gabriel and his father had been apart for seven months, so when Casey learned his leave would coincide with his son’s birthday, he hatched a plan to offer one whale of a surprise. (Boys wrapped birthday gift is dad back from Iraq, Associated Press and YahooNews.com, 1-30-09)
In essence, that’s what God did for us that first Christmas. He offered us one whale of a surprise. He wrapped Himself up in the form of a tiny baby and gave us Himself.
(From a sermon by C. Philip Green, The Father’s Gift, 12/16/2010)