Read: Isaiah 9:1-7
"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 Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6
Of course, the distinct way we celebrate Christmas is by the giving and receiving of gifts. Children eagerly look forward to Christmas morning to see what is going to be under the tree. Family and friends exchange gifts as a way of showing love and appreciation. I don’t remember a lot of the gifts I received as a child, but I do remember when my sister and I received one of the first Nintedo gaming consoles. We started playing Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt before mom and dad could clear away the wrapping.
It is fun to receive gifts. It’s a blessing to give as well. The wording in Isaiah 9 regarding the birth of the Messiah is somewhat distinct. Notice what verse 6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…” To us? To whom is this child given? What is the prophet highlighting here? This child that would be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” was given to the people of God. Let me repeat that in a summarized way: The child to be born was “given” to us. He is a gift. He is a gift from God. This gift is not one that we simply put on a shelf and forget about later. This gift is one that we can treasure for all eternity. This gift is the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world. This gift is the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
Verse 2 of our passage says, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” The gift of the Christ-child is a gift of light to all who dwell in a land of darkness. To all who are broken, hurting, struggling, and afraid–He is a gift for you. He is the light shining in the darkness for all seeking hope and salvation.
A gift is something we receive but are not owed. God does not owe us the gift of His Son, but in His love and kindness, He pours out His love upon us by giving us that which is the greatest gift He can give. God looked upon our difficult condition and took pity on us. He sent His Son to restore in us that which had been lost. All who look to Him can be restored. All who look to Him embrace the light.
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Prayer: Father, you gave us the greatest gift in all of the universe–you gave us your Son. Thank you for the gift of your Son. Thank you for offering us the gifts of hope and salvation.