Gabriel Hurles remembers his 6th birthday very well. His dad, Casey, had been deployed in Iraq for 7 months. This meant that his family had gone all out to provide the best birthday party they could seemingly to distract from the heartache of not having Gabriel’s dad around. As Gabriel walked into the room and surveyed the scene, his eyes grew wide at the cake and he rushed over, asking for a piece immediately. He was in the midst of eating when a family member pointed out a very large package on the other corner of the room. Gabriel then ran to it, ripping off the wrapping paper. What he found wasn’t a bike or anything else from his wishlist. Inside that box, Gabriel found his father, Casey, home on leave for a little while.

It’s a heartwarming story, and it is one that we should remember when we open up our Bibles. In the words of those pages, we find Jesus Christ “hiding” and ready to surprise us. We should also remember that there are other good things in our lives, things that are like the cake that Gabriel was digging into, but that some things are more important than others. How sad would have it been if Gabriel just kept on eating cake, unwilling to ever open up the large package with his father inside?

God gives us many good gifts. He gives us meaningful jobs and entertaining tv and music that makes our spirits soar and wonderful people to be around — but He also gives us His Son, wrapped in the words of Scripture. Enjoy those good things. God gave them to you out of His grace. But don’t forget the package with Christ inside of it. You might just find it’s the greatest thing in the room.