“If you…know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”
Matthew 7:11
The Surprise Room. Our spare bedroom nesting delightful surprises and gifts for our children (and other family and friends) until just the appointed time. Perhaps a birthday, a recital, a sports championship, an excellent report card, Christmas or Easter…or simply because we love them.
The closet in our Surprise Room has a large box filled with gift bags. A variety of wrapping paper and bows mingle together in the corner of the closet just waiting to be chosen. Tape and scissors sit contently in a basket as if knowing they contribute to the preparation of blessings we call gifts.
Shopportunities and clearance sales afford us the chance to hide gifts in The Suprise Room until the right time. As the parents, we are so excited knowing what we have in store to suprise and bless our children. Already planning to bless them with serendipities, we usually give no clue to the unexpected treasures that wait behind the door of The Surprise Room.
The children know that, if the door to The Suprise Room is closed, they may not enter. It is our joy and delight to prepare gifts ahead of time for our children. The mystery and boundaries the door provides adds to the joy and excitement of giving the gift in the future at the right time. We know the surprises we have preapared for our children and how delighted they will be to receive them. Yet, they are unaware of what blessings await them in the storehouse of gifts we call The Surprise Room.
“If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey.” Numbers 14:8
As a parent with the privilege of excitedly preparing blessings for my children in The Surprise Room and holding the key to the door, I often think of our Heavenly Father and the gifts He has prepared for us. It humbles me that He takes great delight in us (Zephaniah 3:17) and that He desires to give us wonderful gifts. He is the Giver of good and perfect gifts. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17
God knows the plans and blessings He has in His surprise room for us, His children. He does not always reveal those gifts to us, but rather usually He waits until just the right time to present them to us. He knows it is better for us to wait and trust as He keeps the door to His surprise room closed and secured. With reverence and faith, I trust the door closed by the Father’s hand until such time as He opens it and gives the gift.
Our favorite gifts to give our children from The Surprise Room are those surprise gifts we give to our children ~ simply because we love them. They have not earned them. They are not expecting them on a certain celebrated day. We give to our children simply because we love our children. Just like our Heavenly Father. “God so loved the world, that He gave…” John 3:16
Some of the sweetest, most serendipitous blessings I receive from the heart and hand of God are those that are completely undeserved and unearned. He has given me the most amazing gifts after times of failure and defining moments where I have needed His grace and mercy so deeply. These intangible gifts of His grace have left me hushed and humbled by His perfect love. “He will quiet you with His love…” (Zephaniah 3:17)
“One can give without loving,
but one cannot love without giving.”
but one cannot love without giving.”
~ Amy Carmichael
God gives because He loves. He gave us an eternal gift in His Son, Jesus, our Savior. Our Heavenly Father’s storehouse of blessings for us must be bursting at the seams! His love is perfect. His love is generous. His love is lavish. “How great is the goodness You have stored up for those who fear You. You lavish it on those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world.” Psalm 31:19
God’s Surprise Room. As His child, I wait excitedly to know what He stores inside for just the right time. I trust His plans. I am covered by His perfect love. I am humbled by His grace. I depend on His mercy. His gifts are good and perfect.
Thank you, Father, for the unexpected treasures You are storing up for us! May our earthly Surprise Room represent Your perfect love, grace and mercy to our precious children. As they wait, may their trust and faith in You grow. When they receive, may their hearts always be humble and thankful to You.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14
I love you analogy. And we have a surprise closet for the same purpose! Hooray!
No extra rooms or closets at our house, but I do have a box.
Great post.
This is such a great post! I love the Scripture from James. His gifts are perfect and perfectly timed. And…"shopportunites" is a GREAT word!!!!! Love this!! I have gifts tucked away also. It can really come in handy when "one" forgets a birthday! Not sayin' that I've ever done that :).
Thanks so much for your sweet words on my post. Graduation was definitely a closing of a huge chapter in his life. But, as we start a new chapter, the excitement that he exudes makes me want to read the new pages in his life.
Love you!
Susan
I love it!!! It's such a great idea and love the analogy as well as the bible references. Thanks for sharing!! Have a bless week!!!
Oh Sharon, what a beautifully eloquent way to describe His love for us…I absolutely love this post. I have never called it the surprise room, though I may start now! The true spirit of you comes through your words…beautiful!
Love,
Heather
Sharon this is such a beautiful post for so many reasons. I love it!
Your heart of Him shines through every word.
Love you and big hugs!
Jill
Always an encouragement when I stop by friend. HE does give us the desires of our hearts, and I'm learning to model it for my boys as well.
Thanks for stopping by and honking with me,
Sarah
PS And our latest car, well God has really been teaching us the power of agreement, of not being in strife, seriously for the last 6 months. We have eliminated it from our home … and our car, yep, it's an Accord.