When I was a kid, my dad hid my Christmas presents around the house.
Some were hard to find. I didn’t discover one of them until March!
In the same way, my father God hid Jesus when he gave him as a gift to the world.
No royal proclamation and trumpets. He made him hard to find.
The shepherds trudged round Bethlehem before they discovered him in a stinking stable.
It was a costly treasure hunt. Their glorious night out could have cost them their jobs.
They recklessly abandoned their sheep – not behaviour that was encouraged in the 1BC edition of the Shepherd Instruction Manual.
But for them, it was worth it.
The wise men had to play Hunt the Saviour, too. That meant sitting on a camel for 800 miles. Not quite executive travel, with lie-flat comfort and a media console.
But for them, it was worth it.
Two other people involved in Jesus’ birth had to hunt for him, too.
Simeon, and Anna, discovered him at the temple.
Simeon was summoned there by the Spirit. Anna lived there, praying day and night. She founded 24-7 Prayer, and found Jesus in the process.
Even Mary and Joseph had to search for Jesus when he vanished on a trip to Jerusalem. It took them three days to find him.
I’m sure the temple’s Child Protection Officer had something to say about that.
God gave Jesus as a gift for everyone. But sometimes, we have to find him.
The search may be costly, uncomfortable and take us to some smelly places.
But it will be worth it. Even if you don’t discover him until March.