This Year, Read the Manual

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Yesterday, my husband gave me yet another lavish gift in anticipation of celebrating 25 years of marriage in late January. In doing so, he caught me by surprise--I definitely wasn't expecting a party, much less one 27 days early. He diligently researched the camera I'd mentioned in passing a week or so before Christmas, found a good deal, sought the advice of a friend who is a photographer, and purchased the ultimate package deal in the camera I wanted. In addition, he orchestrated the party and tried to include as many close friends as he could under the guise of watching the Alabama football game at another friend's house without raising any suspicions. He enlisted my children, and they kept the secret, helped with the gift, and then showed up a the party, too. I was scratching my head trying to figure out why they were there, and then looked down to find a cake that read "Happy Anniversary." I looked around the room trying to remember if I had forgotten someone's anniversary (as if I would know everyone's anyway) and out loud wondered, "Whose anniversary is it?"

They all laughed and said, "It's yours! Surprise!"

Wow! So that's what a surprise party feels like--very surprising. . .

Maybe right now you're wondering what the point of this might be, but several things stood out to me. First, my husband knows me well enough to know what I want, and he cared about me enough to do his homework and find the best. Second, like me last night, we aren't always headed where we think we are going. Third, some gifts are just plain lavish.  Last, when we receive a new gift, it is helpful to read the manual--you know, the owner's guide? I spent several hours reading just the first part of my manual last night trying to familiarize myself enough with the new camera to be able to operate it. You might think it boring, but I found it quite exciting to explore the many aspects of my new gift.

All that to say that there is no better time than right after Christmas to remember the lavish gift God gave us in His son, Jesus Christ. We often celebrate the birth of Jesus and get all caught up in the celebrations of a new year, and all the time, our instruction manual (the Bible) sits neglected in the busyness and excitement. Instead, we should invest time in the ultimate instruction manual given to us from God himself. The words never get old, the story is fresh, and the Spirit works through the Word in us. The time will never be wasted, and the gift won't ever break. Someday my camera will die, get broken, be outdated, get stolen or some other thing befall it, but God's gift is eternal.

Note to self: this year, spend more time reading the manual!

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