What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? Once Bec and I were given an ice-cream maker! It was fun to make our own flavours. Another year Bec was given a few nights at a B&B near Apollo Bay, which was wonderful!
Unsurprisingly, God is the best gift-giver. Nothing we could give can top what he has already given. And God still promises more!
Consider Isaiah 9:6-7. ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.’
What is God’s gift to us? A son! And what a son he is. We see his authority and majesty all throughout these verses. But surprising, this son will be God himself. He will be called Mighty God, Everlasting Father. We must be careful not to read this verse in isolation, concluding the Father became a man – he didn’t. But Jesus himself said, ‘Whoever has seen me has seen the Father’ (John 14:9).
God was saying that the child would be God, and yet from David. And there is no better gift than that. Nothing you could receive this Christmas could compare with getting God himself. There are many great things to look forward to: an eternal kingdom of justice, righteousness and peace for one. But nothing could compare to God himself.
Do you have God yet? Receive the precious gift of the Son. He died to bring sinners to God. There’s no better gift than that.