News media at this time of year often have stories of extravagant gifts given by the ultra-rich to their families or friends. Although some of these gifts – the cars, jewelry, and other items – may seem incredibly expensive to most of us, they often are small compared to history’s greatest gifts. To mention only two examples, the famous Taj Mahal monument in India was a gift from a Mughal Emperor for his wife that in today’s value would be worth almost one billion dollars. In 1778 America signed a treaty of alliance with France and in return was given a gift of supplies and money to help in the Revolutionary War. In today’s value, the French gift was worth about $20 billion.
But even incredibly large gifts such as these are dwarfed by the gift the prophet Isaiah foretold:
“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” ( Isaiah 9:6).
Notice that this was not just to be a child who would be born, but one who would specifically be given by God. This, of course, refers to the messiah Jesus Christ who the apostle John tells us was born because “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
We are all familiar with John’s words – a scripture that could well be called the “gift message” that comes with the greatest gift ever made – but we may not be as familiar with some of the other things the New Testament tells us about God’s gift. Consider what the following scriptures show us:
Magnitude of the gift
“To them that received Him as Savior, to them gave He the power to become the children of God” (John 1:12).
Undeserved nature of the gift
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23); “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
Certainty of the gift
“for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29); “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).
Result of the gift
“Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin … For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” (Romans 5:16–17).
These are certainly things we can ponder at this time of year and whenever we hear of extravagant gifts. No matter how massive some human gifts may be, God’s gift to us goes beyond the combination of all other gifts ever given. And while we may measure even the largest human gifts in monetary or other physical ways, we should remember the truth behind the apostle Paul’s words when he wrote: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
