For many of us, routine has replaced much of the marvel of the holidays. And let’s be honest; the work often overshadows the wonder! Many have even lost the thrill of surprise on Christmas morning, having purchased and wrapped the gifts bearing their name beneath the tree with their own hands. And Jesus, the One whom we gather to celebrate, is almost forgotten, worked into our festivities with brief mentions and a visit to church on Christmas Eve. Perhaps we have been missing something. Let’s invite the wonder of Christmas to return! Gifts bearing your name await your attention under the tree.

We like having our way. We think we know what’s best, and we’d like God to cooperate by fulfilling our desires. After all, scripture teaches that ours is a God of grace. So when He withholds something we think we want, we tend to get a little angry. It doesn’t seem fair. But what if God’s “no” actually flows from His mercy?

Scripture is packed full of hidden treasure waiting to be uncovered. I believe 1 Samuel 10:5 holds one of those valuable gems. At first glance, it doesn’t seem to offer anything too extraordinary. I passed over it many times without much pause. But my ESV Bible offers literal Hebrew translations to many significant words, and this time something stirred in me to check out the footnote. To my surprise, I read the following words.

Hello, dear one. It’s been a while. Life has felt like a bit…