One winter day my sister Nancy, a kindergarten teacher in central New York State, needed to walk to a storage building behind the school. When she entered, she was surprised to find some 20 or more snow sleds stacked in the shed. That afternoon she asked her principal why they were there. She was told that the parents of a student had once given them to the school, and that they had been used while that student was still attending, but since then they had never been used. The school was at the foot of a gently sloping hill.

Nancy was excited and made plans for her class to have a “snow day”, with permission from the principal. Some of the children had not ever sledded down a hill; years later, when Nancy met one of her early students, he told her that he would never forget the day they went sledding at school. Some of the parents had told her that many times.

Nancy told me of her surprise at finding the sleds, and at having permission to use them. She delights in the memory of discovering the hidden gift.

The greatest secret ever kept was the secret of Jesus’ identity, a gift so priceless that it is still being given and received with joy: “What about you?” Jesus asked,”Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered “You are the Messiah, the son of the Living God.” Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.( Mark 8:29-30, Matthew16:16) From the time of his birth Jesus’ identity was hidden from everyone except his parents and a very few others. During his ministry people disputed who he was. It was important to Jesus not to tell the world, so that after his resurrection, the previously hidden gift of the Holy Spirit could reveal him to those who would believe.

As Lent draws close to Holy Week, after which the world could know the true identity of the one they had crucified, we can ponder Jesus’ ministry, and his hidden identity while on earth, culminating in the freedom and joy in the appearance of the resurrected Christ: When the set time had fully come, God sent His son, born of a woman. . . to redeem those under the law; that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out .”Abba, Father” ( Galations 4:&6)

Nancy was joyfully surprised to discover a resource for the pleasure of her students. We are all surprised to find God even in Scripture. Jesus was the hidden gift to us from “Abba”, our Father.

Love in Him,

Prue