Christmas Advent Devotional Day 4: Something Had to Give

 



 

Isaiah 9:6

6 For Unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (NKJV, emphasis mine)

 

This passage is one of the most beautiful of the predictions about the coming Messiah.  It reads like pure poetry!  It is so good in fact, that we will look at it over several days.  Today, we will concentrate on the bolded portion:

"Unto us a child is born"…  Normally a child is born “unto” his/her parents.  But Jesus would be born to us!  He would come to meet us at our point of need.  He would insert Himself into humanity because His love was too great for Him to remain at a distance.  He was unwilling to enjoy the glories of heaven without His beloved (you and me.) 

"Unto us a Son is given"...  He had come in answer to the prayers of countless generations.  Countless souls lost and undone without God were crying out for help. God heard and He answered.  It was not just any child being born, it was His Son.  His only begotten Son, gift wrapped in swaddling clothes and given to us! Given for us.

But why? Why would God allow a child to be born to a lost and dying world?!!!

Because of the gap between God and man...  Because of the separating chasm of sin… 

Something had to give!

                            Or rather someone had to give.  And it was God!

He gave a Son. His beloved Son. His pride and joy. God gave Him in exchange for my dark soul and yours.

God gave His Son to us.  His best.  His gift was the gift of Himself.  

As is the nature of gifts, the receiver can accept or decline a gift.  No matter how perfect and precious it is, no one will make us receive His gift.

How does it make you feel to know that God so values your soul, that He gave His Son to you?  For you. To die on your behalf.  To suffer in your place.

What a loving and generous God! What gift can you begin to give in return to someone who gave His everything?  Your heart. That is all He requires.



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