I’ve grown somewhat jaded over the years, thinking nothing wonderful would happen to me again. Then one day, a friend at church, who is the mother of five children, surprised me.  

I often sit with this family at church and help the youngest girl, who is 6, follow along in the book. Her mother told me grandmother’s day at the child’s school was approaching and wondered if I could stand in as the child’s grandmother. 

I was almost brought to tears, because it has been many years since anyone has asked me something like this. I recall standing in for two of my dear friend’s children, who had lost both

grandmothers. What a huge gift it had been! What an honor! Why had I decided God would be out of surprises?  

I thought about the joy children experience during Advent. The really young ones have their eyes set on the surprises that will be stacked beneath the tree. They are still young enough to believe in Santa and elves and the North Pole. Their parents tell them about the Baby Jesus, whose figure will be placed gently in a creche beneath the tree, and this adds to their joy. 

They love placing the animals there too. The lambs, the donkey, the ox standing so patiently near the newborn King. The innocent and pure lamb is there because the baby will be called the Lamb of God. The donkey is there because one day Jesus will ride this animal into Jerusalem. The ox is there because Jesus will tell the world, “My yoke is easy to bear.”  

Everything about the season sings of joy when you are a child. The journey to find the Christmas tree, Dad hauling it into the living room and providing it with water, the family dog sampling the water and sneaking away. The arduous task of untangling the lights and Dad’s attempts to avoid saying forbidden words, when one string doesn’t light up. Opening the boxes of ornaments and being surprised all over again at their beauty. Mom and Dad reminiscing over special ornaments and trying to remain calm when the baby drops one and it shatters.  

Faith means believing God will continue to surprise us. From the beginning of time, God was waiting to unveil the greatest surprise imaginable. A child would be born and named Jesus, and this child would reveal the human face of God. This child would tell us how to live and teach us the hard lessons of love. This child would split time in two, so people everywhere would talk about the time before and after Christ. 

This child would inspire the most gorgeous musical creations and artistic wonders in the world. Cathedrals, symphonies and poetry would shape his praises. He would show up in plays, novels and stories even 2,000 years after his birth. This child would change the lives of billions of people. His name would become holy on the lips of sinners, saints and angels.  

How surprised Mary was when she was visited by an angel. How surprised the shepherds tending their flocks were when they heard the news. How amazed the wise men were, when they brought gifts fit for a king to a baby lying helpless and sweet in the fragrant hay.  

The ones who scoff at the story of God becoming man have lost a sense of wonder. They don’t believe in angels. They don’t believe in prayer. They don’t believe God could love us enough to die for us. This is a sad thing, but many people have lost a belief in surprises.  

There are times when faith starts to lose its polish and doubt darkens our dreams. The weeks before Christmas give us the chance for a fresh start. This time reminds us we can bring surprises to other people. We can awaken them from sorrow and discouragement. We can point them to the baby in the creche. We can remind them God makes all things possible. He never stops surprising us.