Devotion: Seeking the Greatest Treasure of Christmas

“Above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.” ~Roald Dahl

Treasure hunts.

Oh, how I absolutely love a good treasure hunt. It’s the thrill of knowing there is something special in your presence that just hasn’t been discovered yet. The anticipation. The excitement. The joy. I get giddy just thinking about it!

Christmas Day has always meant one of my favorite treasure hunts of all. I was one of those children who was so excited about Christmas morning that I barely slept a wink on Christmas Eve, and was awake and ready to start the day by no later than 4:30 a.m. on Christmas every. single. year.

You can imagine my parents’ excitement.

My exuberant shouts of joy were always immediately met with “Go back to bed,” and “You are not allowed to come back and wake us up until…”

None of that could squelch my excitement. It was Christmas morning, and there was beauty and magic in the air. There were treasures to be found, and I knew just where to look!

I always took a little sneak peek at my overflowing stocking nestled next to the fireplace, threw a few longing gazes at the beautiful packages under the tree, and double checked that Santa had finished the milk and cookies I faithfully left out for him. But first came my favorite moment of those early Christmas mornings—a treasure hunt for baby Jesus.

My parents had a simple, beautiful, hand-carved wooden nativity that always sat proudly on top of our piano during the holiday season. When Advent began, all the usual characters were included except one: Jesus. When I was really little, I remember asking my mom why Jesus wasn’t there and she said, “Because he hasn’t been born yet. You will have to wait and find him Christmas morning!”

When Christmas morning arrived, I always knew my first mission was to find baby Jesus. I would run to the secret hiding spot, find the tiny infant figure, kiss him, and excitedly whisper “Happy Birthday, Jesus” as I placed him in the nativity.

Where did I always find baby Jesus, you ask?

I found him in one of the most unlikely places—tucked in a corner of our piano bench. Such a humble place for a glorious King. I guess it’s not too different from his humble beginnings in that manger long ago.

It is so true that we must “Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around [us] because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.” Whether it be in a piano bench, a humble manger, His Scriptures, the heart of a young child on Christmas morning, or even in the cranky neighbor down the street, God hides His most beautiful treasure, Jesus, in secret places. He is just waiting to be discovered! He always was, and still is, my favorite treasure.

[Tweet “This Christmas, let’s keep our eyes open and look for Jesus in even the most unlikely of places.”] Let’s be holy and sacred treasure hunters of our one true King!

Dear Lord, I ask you to open our eyes to the hidden treasures that surround us. May we find You, and love You, in the most humble of places, and may all our treasure hunts begin and end with You. Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

“I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” (Isaiah 45:3 NIV)

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV)

Reach for More

This week’s challenge is to seek out Jesus in unlikely places. Keep your eyes open and see if you can find Jesus wherever you go. Maybe he will be at the grocery store, in the form of a really kind cashier. Maybe he will be a neighbor who has taken the time to ask you about your day, or a stranger who smiles as you walk past. Maybe he will show up in the form of a homeless person who has nothing to offer to you except a beautiful heart and a powerful story. Whatever form Jesus takes, I promise you, he will show up if you seek him with all your heart.

Dear friends, we can do this. Be courageous, and remember that Jesus is always our greatest treasure in this world. Let’s joyfully look for him wherever we go!

Please, come back and leave a comment telling us about how God spoke to you this week, or share your progress on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore. We would love to hear from you.

Sarah Lundgren has a passion for all things sparkly, loves God with her whole heart, and is known to love Starbucks chai lattes a whole lot, too. Sarah is currently snuggled in the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan with her sweet hubby, J, and her full-time job is making pretty things all day long for her Etsy business, so sarah designs, but she also loves writing devotional content here at The Glorious Table.