A Bicycle In The Bathtub 

Read on December 18

Story provided by Molli

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.” —Ephesians 2:8

Every Christmas, Molli and her brother would receive several gifts under the tree, but there was always one big gift located someplace else. This was the gift they were most excited about because it was the gift they most wanted. Therefore, it became the gift that required a little more work to receive.

Receiving this gift began with a note from their dad that contained a riddle or clue. That note would lead to the next note, which would lead to the next and the next. Molli and her brother spent a good bit of time on Christmas morning running all around the house and the yard, knowing that the coveted gift would be found at the end of the hunt.

One year, there was a bicycle in the bathtub. Another Christmas, there was a special doll, wrapped and waiting in the refrigerator. Gifts were found in the mailbox, the neighbor’s porch, and even the clothes dryer. 

After Molli married and had children, she continued that favorite tradition with her children, who now continue it with their children. Looking for those “most valued” gifts became the highlight of every Christmas.

It is safe to say that the finest Christmas gift ever given was the gift of God’s Son, our Savior. It is baffling that so many in our world settle only for the gifts that are “easy to find.” God left us His word so that anyone could follow the clues and find their most coveted gift. The problem is that too few make the “hunt.”

Christmas is the perfect time to help people understand that the most important gift of Christmas isn’t under their tree. How can we leave them the clues that will help them find Jesus?

Every nativity set is a clue.

Every Christmas card can send a message.

Phone calls, emails, and a thought-filled gift can point people to their need for Jesus.

But, the first step is helping them understand that they have a perfect Christmas gift they need to find.

We, like the angels, can be God’s messengers this year through the power and leadership of his Holy Spirit. The first step will probably be helping them to understand that they won’t find their most valuable Christmas gift under their tree.

God is their heavenly Father, and He has authored the clues that will guide them to the most perfect gift they will ever receive.