The Eternal Gift of Christmas

The words can fill us with wonder. It can all seem just a little too good to be true. Seemingly more akin to a myth or a fairy tale, the Bible unashamedly heralds the truth:

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)

This is the gift we were given that began Christmas.

More than just a singular gift in a box, the Father’s sacrificial gift of His Son is more akin to a life-sized box Russian doll—we remove the paper and open the box to find the ornate gift inside; but we find that gift can be opened as well, revealing there’s still another gift inside. Each doll slightly similar, just as beautiful and increasingly intricate and detailed—that’s like the love of God displayed through His Son. In life and in death, in His resurrection and reign, and in His soon-coming return, we will see that in every gift there’s always more than initially expected.

But with the cares of this life, the everyday distractions, and the pressures we face, we can often respond to this precious gift the way children respond to their presents. We interact for a little bit, reveling in the novelty of what we’ve been given, only to lay it down when we’re distracted by something new. And in this day and age, we are never short of available distractions.

From the moment we get up to the moment we lay down, we are bombarded with the cacophony of avenues vying for our attention. If we’re not careful, each distraction can undermine our peace. Advertisements for things we need, news of important events, tasks and responsibilities we signed up to perform, relationships we value, and obligations—it can all feel so necessary. And while most items on our lists have some level of importance, they’re not always the best thing. More often than not, they cause us to relinquish the greatest gift that’s been offered to us in order to focus on other, lesser things. When the priorities become altered, it’s not surprising that anxiety, uncertainty, and worry arise.

Then we may seek out the gift again. And as the Lord is known as our “Rock,” our safety, even our “strong tower,” we can truly expect Him to help us in our time of need. However, we are in relationship with One who desires, and is able, to do more than just be our backup plan, who helps us when we feel we’re in crisis. He is able to do more than we ask, think, or imagine, according to the power at work within us.

God is not given to hyperbole. He only speaks truth.

Therefore the prophecy spoken by Isaiah (9:6), under the leading of the Spirit, was not an exaggeration. When he spoke the identity of the King of kings and Lord of lords, he declared what we have access to in every season and scenario, for us and for others, in the most impossible situations and those times in which we don’t think we even need His help.

The Bible and all the names of God used to describe Him declare this truth—we have been given access to more than we realize because we have been given God Himself.

Prince of Peace 

Jesus displayed His ability to stay calm in the most trying of situations, that would’ve had others breaking the law and the commandments. Whether He was dealing with hypocrisy, embezzlement, false teaching, callous leaders, political issues, or death threats, He remained full of the fruit of the Spirit. More than an emotion, the peace that Jesus has left with His disciples is one rooted in the power that comes from God alone. It is not swayed by circumstances, feelings, or hardships. It still thrives in the suffocating environments of doubt and fear, because it’s based on the truth of God’s Word, His character, and His covenant.

This peace we have is buoyed by the evidence displayed on the cross and the down payment of the Spirit, that declares our sonship. We have One who is seated at the right hand of God, ruling and reigning in all of His royal authority, and He has given us access to this exact same type of peace. Regardless of the day, the hour, or the trial, we can rest in the faithfulness of the One who is our peace—during board meetings, dreaded conversations with the doctor, work presentations, and awkward attempts at reconciliation—even on the seemingly random Thursdays when life just doesn’t seem to want to work—He has given us Himself.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Mighty God
The acts displayed in the Old Testament were grand. They defied the laws of nature God Himself set in place, causing all to marvel at His power. Fire falling from heaven, the waters of the sea being blown back to stand as tall as walls, the earth being created. These accounts underscore the magnificence of the One we are in covenant with, and they serve as a prologue to the works Jesus did. From raising the dead, casting out demons, healing all manners of sickness, and calming raging winds—all before going to the cross—the Son of God displayed miracle after miracle, attesting to His relationship to the Father. Jesus and the Father are one. When we see the strength and power of Almighty God, we are seeing the same strength and power that the Creator of the heavens and the earth says has been given to our resurrected King.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18)

This power has not waned over time. It is still readily available to those who believe. The One who is the Lord God gracious still desires to act for us, for our friends, for our families, for those needing a touch of His power. Whether is sickness that tries to invade our bodies, doubt that attempts to kill our hope, or oppression that tries to drown our souls, He is willing and able to move in power.

Counselor
This is the God who knows when His children are running away in fear, agitated by the lies of the enemy, and in need of a meal and some rest—the same One who can sit with the most revered religious leaders of His day and still see through the façade of their cultured manners, to discern the doubt and disdain in their hearts. And He is the same today, displaying the same nuanced accuracy covered in gentleness and fueled by love and truth. He is able to get to the heart of the issue without shame, without condemnation, without manipulating circumstances. He is also able to see through all that is occurring, to highlight the main issue that needs to be addressed—whether it was a deeply buried trauma from the past or a present-day issue that has just occurred, He is able to guide, help sort through the details, and prescribe the best path forward.

“I am the Lord, your God, who teaches you what is good for you.” (Isaiah 48:17 NLT)

Wonderful 
It still doesn’t make sense, really. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. His incarnation as a man into time was strategically positioned so that, at just the right time, He could die for us. Perfect, sinless, innocent, pure—this is the Lamb, slain before the foundations of this world. So it shouldn’t be surprising that we’ve been given the opportunity to stand in awe of this One who embodies wonder—inspiring delight, pleasure, and admiration; extremely good or marvelous.

Not only has He accomplished what no one else could do, He has gone even further. He has made us more than overcomers while in this life, seating us with Him as full members of His family, to reign with Him and participate in the kingdom reality, that we will one day get to see with our own eyes.

“I go and prepare a place for you.” (John 14:3)

Everlasting Father 
Even before time began, God dwelled in eternity, displaying the nature of what it meant to be a father. Good, loving, and kind, He existed in perfect harmony. Jesus displays this same nature to us, loving us into wholeness, helping us grow through success and failure, trial and triumph. He is the vine, and we are the branches. His work in us is one of continually cultivating His very beauty, that He has placed in us. In the process of maturing us, He works with the Holy Spirit, constantly causing us to look more like Him, respond like He would, love as He did, that we may do the same works and even greater. Just as a father would, He has prepared the way, that we may follow in His footsteps and partake in His wondrous acts as the firstborn among many brethren.

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)

More than just a one-time gift at Christmas, Jesus is the ongoing gift that is offered to us. The words can seem too good to be true, but this is what we’ve been given—a relationship that obliterates expectations with His goodness, upends our dreams with His kindness, and surprises our plans with His brilliance. In the hard times and the good, He has made Himself available to us as one who is able to weep with us in the challenges as well as rejoice in our times of success.

He has brought us into the covenant that He has made fully available in this life and the next. That is the beauty of Christmas.

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. (Isaiah 9:7)

How can you grow in meditating on the gift we have received in the person of Jesus?