I remember as a kid, knowing the holidays were here when all of the Christmas specials came on television. Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snow Man and The Little Drummer Boy. They were all fun to watch; the little drummer boy was a bit hokey but it was all part of the season's traditions. I heard the song again the other day and really listened to the words. Of course, most of the lyrics are pah rum pum pum pum, but there are some others mixed in. "Come they told me, a new born King to see, our finest gifts we bring, to lay before the King." Then he goes on to say, "I have no gift to bring, that's fit to give a King". He felt he had nothing to offer the King that would be on par with the gifts the wise men had brought, nothing as valuable as gold, frankincense and myrhh.
He then goes on to play the little drum that he carries and he sees the baby King smile at him. And he realizes that he did honor the King, with himself and his drum.
We think of Christmas and we think of gifts. I had to go to one of the big box stores yesterday and it was a mad house. People rushing around, getting last minute presents for everyone on their list. Traffic everywhere, people in such a hurry. Often times taking the joy out of the season and certainly forgetting the real reason that we celebrate. We as Christians celebrate this time of year because we received the ultimate gift. We received a gift that seemed a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. The Jews had heard for centuries that there was a king coming. They expected that king to come riding in on a horse, who was going to be victorious in a most certain bloody battle. They expected a man of might and muscle. What came was a baby, soft and lowly. He was a gift that many turned their backs on, but He never turned His back on us. Even when His back was ripped and torn, sinew and muscle showing. Blood pouring off of Him. But as Paul Harvey used to say, that's the rest of the story.
So we are thankful and observe Christmas to honor Jesus' birth. And even as we get caught up in the rush to get our loved ones presents, what gift do we have to bring our King? I think we all feel like that little drummer boy, what gift can I bring to Jesus? What do I have that is good enough for Him? What can I make, buy, conjure up to please Him. But if we will take time to look at that drummer boy we will get our answer. The greatest gift we can give to Him is ourselves. Talk about a riddle wrapped in a mystery in an enigma. Here we are, alive because He gave us the gift of life, breathing because His air fills our lungs and all He wants is...us. There are days that we feel inadequate, days we feel like the worst of the worst, and yet He wants us. There are days we deal with depression, days we deal with anger, days we barely make it through and yet He wants us. That's it. He wants us. He gives us the gift of life and He just wants us to give ourselves back to Him. And yet we still struggle and think that cannot possibly be enough. He desires fellowship with us. He desires time with us. He desires us.
I remember a song from quite a few years ago that Larnelle Harris used to sing called 'I Miss My Time With You'. It is God talking to someone, saying this,
"I miss My time with you
Those moments together
I need to be with you each day
And it hurts me when you say
You're too busy, busy trying to serve Me
But how can you serve Me
When your spirit's empty
There's a longing in My heart
Wanting more than just a part of you
It's true
I miss My time with you"
That is not a God who desires gold and precious stones and elaborate gifts. That is a God who loves us and hopes that we will choose Him. I remember when I was younger, maybe in junior high. Overweight, unattractive, no friends. Gym class was horrible. Having to play sports and knowing that no one was going to pick me to be on their team. Oh, how I just wanted to be chosen. How I wanted to just be that first pick, just once. I remember that longing, that yearning.
We are God's first pick. And He wants to be our first pick also. It's as simple as that. It is as good enough as that. As they say today, it is all that and a bag of chips. We are His and He wants to be our all in all.
And beyond giving ourselves, we also give Him all that is in us. We are all unique. We are all different. We all have talents and qualities, different capabilities and aptitudes. We are all incomparable and unusual in our own way, so we need to stay away from weighing ourselves against anyone else. The drummer boy weighed himself against the wise men and felt that he was lacking. But God looks at us and sees value and merit in all of us. Whether we are bold or shy, whether we are rich or poor, no matter who we are or how we 'feel' we are valued and esteemed, priceless in His eyes. He considers us a gift beyond measure.
For years I felt like that junior high kid, never good enough, never wanted. What I had didn't measure up. As a grown up I felt less than. I didn't sing as well as she did. I was not as good a speaker as he was. I wasn't as well versed in the bible. What I had was not enough. I had no gift to bring that was fit to give a King. And then I came to realize that I was the gift. I was what He wanted all along. I was enough, because after all He made me. And God don't make no mistakes.
So I challenge you to pick up your 'drum' whatever it may be and offer it back up to the King. And then watch Him smile.
Pah rum pum pum pum

I've been watching a tv show with Jim the past couple of years, it is called The Curse of Oak Island.  This is an island off the coast of Nova Scotia and it supposedly has some kind of buried treasure somewhere on it.  The show centers around two brothers who are currently searching for the treasure along with a few others including a man who has lived on the island for over 50 years and has pretty much dedicated his life to finding the treasure.  Just think, hidden treasure!  Speculation has run the gamut, from the Ark of the Covenant hidden by the Knights Templar to buried manuscripts of William Shakespeare, and from a Viking ship to Spanish treasure.  There are more theories than there are facts.  This treasure has been sought by at least 14 different expeditions and 6 lives have been lost in the search.  Countless hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent in seeking this treasure.
The current treasure hunters are two brothers.  They read an article in a Reader's Digest magazine some fifty years ago and the fever struck.  They have dedicated untold amounts of money and endless hours pursuing this dream of finding this cache, this treasure trove.  In reading articles about Oak Island, there are so many theories and so much supposition and conjecture it is no wonder that so many people have sought after what may be buried there.  But these two brothers Rick and Marty Lagina have dedicated their lives and their resources to find something, anything there.  From a young age they have been treasure hunters, turning over rocks in search of riches.  I remember when I was young my dad sometimes had to fly out of town when extraditing prisoners.  He would always bring me something back from the airline.  The item that I liked the best was a little miniature suitcase, about the right size for my Barbie doll.  I remember carrying that thing around forever.  I used to imagine finding one filled with money all rolled up in it.  When we drove somewhere I would be looking all along the side of the road, hoping to find one.  When I walked to school I scoped out everywhere I went, thinking today might be the day.  I wanted to find that money!  But I never really gave anything up to find it.  I never invested any blood, sweat and tears to search for it.  It was just a passing fancy and quite funny to think of today; that tiny bag wouldn't have held much money!  So much for my treasure hunting days. 
There is a treasure that I did find.  That treasure was found in the kingdom of heaven and the rich life that comes with finding it.  Matthew 13:44 says this, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (NASB).  Here was a man who finds something of more value than he could ever imagine.  According to Elliott's Commentary for English readers this parable would have struck the imagination of the disciples.  "Every village had its story of men who had become suddenly rich by finding some hidden hoard that had been hastily concealed in time of war or tumult. Then, as now, there were men who lived in the expectation of finding such treasures, and every traveller who was seen searching in the ruins of an ancient town was supposed to be hunting after them."  And they could see the application to their lives in following Jesus.  "In the interpretation of the parable, the case described is that of a man who, not having started in the pursuit of holiness or truth, is brought by the seeming accidents of life—a chance meeting, a word spoken in season, the example of a living holiness—to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, i.e., to Christ Himself, and who, finding in Him a peace and joy above all earthly treasure, is ready to sacrifice the lower wealth in order to obtain the higher. Such, we may well believe, had been the history of the publicans and the fishermen who made up the company of the Twelve. The parable had its fulfilment in them when they, at the bidding of their Lord, “forsook all and followed Him.” Such, it need hardly be said, has been the story of thousands of the saints of God in every age of the Church’s life from that day to this."
And we also read in the next verses, Matthew 13:45-46, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it." (NASB)  Matthew Poole's Commentary tells us this about those verses, "The state of the gospel dispensation is such, that men in it having a discovery of more excellent things than before they were aware of, life and immortality being brought to light through the gospel, (2 Timothy 1:10) grace and truth coming by Jesus Christ, (John 1:17), men and women are set upon seeking for these spiritual things, as merchants do for goodly pearls; and when God makes a discovery of Christ and his grace to the soul, it appears to them as a pearl of great price, of more value than all they have in the world, and they are ready to part with all to obtain Christ and his grace. Both these parables have the same scope and tendency, viz.
1. To inform us that Christ and his grace are of a great and transcendent value.
2. That under the gospel there is a clear discovery of these things to the world.
3. That where this discovery is effectually and particularly made to any soul, that soul will part with all it hath, or is worth, rather than it will miss of Christ, and his grace and glory."
We are given the opportunity to find a treasure far more valuable than ancient manuscripts, gold coins or priceless jewels.  Those earthly treasures will not make it past this world.  The only treasure that lasts for eternity is the treasure of a relationship with Jesus and the gifts that go along with that.  There is nothing in this world that can compare to the knowledge that Jesus died for my sins and has given me the gift of eternal life.  There is nothing that can equate to the gain of the Holy Spirit living inside of me; comforting, leading, teaching me and bringing me ever closer to my Saviour. 
As the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:12, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty" (NIV).  I too have known times of doing without.  Times of going to the food bank for meals, having to go to local agencies to get help paying utility bills, times of not knowing if the rent would be paid.  I have also known times of some abundance.  Where I don't have to count every penny as I go to the grocery store, times when I have been able to help others.  But in all of those times I had a resource, a treasure beyond compare.  I had, and still have a King, a Lord, a Saviour who loves me and cares for me and will see me through everything that I go through.  As it goes on to say in verse 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Can any earthly treasure compare to that.  Can any piece of metal or shiny stone or number on a bank account give you the peace and assurance that the presence of Jesus in your life does?  And we have the knowledge that as much of a treasure that Christ is to us, we also are to Him.  Our Father adores us, He gave all in the form of His Son to bring us to Him.  Talk about finding treasure in dirt and paying all to acquire it!  Nothing we can do can repay that debt He paid, but fortunately for us He does not ask that we repay it.  All He asks is for our lives, for us to seek Him daily, for us to love Him in return.  We have been given riches beyond compare, abundance beyond our wildest dreams.
Funny, in doing the study on Oak Island, they talk of sink holes and underground caverns that could explain the presence of so-called Money Pits.  Natural occurrences that could explain what they have found.  So in all of the over 200 years of searching, it could all have been for nought.   All they have really found and have on hand is a coin and some wood and a lot of speculation.  Of course I hope they find something amazing.  What a payoff after years of labor and loss, of both money and lives.  But there is no assurance.  We as Christians have an assurance, a blessed assurance as the song goes, Jesus is mine.  A treasure in this life and the next.  A store of riches that is mine if I but give all to receive it.  And all that I have is really nothing in comparison to Him and His love for me. 
Consider this, dear reader.  What do you have that holds you back from unearthing this treasure?  What in this life could compare to what He has for you?  What tin treasure are you holding on to that could even be weighed against His value and worth? 


Details about Oak Island found on Wikipedia, Starcasm.net and the chronicleherald.ca