Daddy — What Did You Bring Me?

How many times have we heard – or spoken – those words? I know as a young child (and later on as a not-so-young child), I often asked that question. My dad was a salesman and especially in my early years, he was often away for two or three weeks at a time. And whenever he came home, I’d come running up to him, throw my arms around his knees (remember I was a little girl), and utter the question, “Daddy, what did you bring me?” And without fail, there was always something in his pocket, briefcase, or suitcase that he had chosen just for me. Many of those things have been lost over the years (although I still have a few of them on the desk he left me when he died), but for the most part they are long gone – broken, discarded, lost.

At this Christmas time of year, our thoughts often to gift-giving and what we will buy for a particular family member or friend. We spend time carefully thinking about the needs or likes of the recipient, trying to choose that “perfect” gift. Sometimes we are successful – sometimes we get stuck with the person who “has everything” or is “so hard to buy for.”

Not so with our Heavenly Father. He chose the “Perfect Gift” over two thousand years ago in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Because He knew our need – being saved from our damning sin and needing Jesus’ blood to bring us into fellowship with Him. He sent the Son in whom He was well-pleased to die in order to give us the gifts of peace and joy, a loving and victorious relationship with Him, and life everlasting in Heaven. There never was and never will be a greater, more perfect gift than Jesus Christ. And His gift will never become broken, discarded, lost.

And so at this blessed time of year, we can run to our Father and throw our arms out to Him, and hear Him respond to our question, “What did you bring me?” What did He bring us? His only begotten Son.

Written Lynn Randall: Lynn serves at America’s Keswick as our Director of Human Resources.