What’s the nicest gift you have ever received from another person?
Was it an expensive jewel or keepsake? Or perhaps something that someone painted or built for you on which you could not put a price?
Maybe it was a gift of inestimable sentimental value. That first baby doll, or your first bike, or a cherished Bible.
Most of us could call to our mind-screen a number of very wonderful gifts that we’ve received along life’s way. Some have been very expensive. Some may have been very inexpensive.
But here’s another question: What’s the nicest gift you’ve ever given? It’s natural for us to think in terms of receiving when thinking of gifts. But whenever a gift is received, somewhere there’s a gift-giver.
No doubt you’ve given gifts, and no doubt you’ve given some very nice gifts. It may have been a costly gift for which you saved and sacrificed; or it may have been one that cost you little in money but lots in love.
When my mother was living, I had the joy of giving her one of those inexpensive gifts. It was a little book that Ellen bought, with pretty flowers on the cover and nothing but blank pages between the covers. I filled in the blank pages with some poems that I wrote on various subjects: motherhood, childhood, life, and love. It cost practically zero dollars, but it was a part of my soul that I shared with my mother to honor her in a special way.
I think, too, of a couple of Madam Alexander dolls that we bought for our daughters when they were 10 or 11 years old. Those dolls were coveted by little girls back in the mid-70s, so we had to look high and low, but finally found them in a store in Wichita, Kansas. We were living in Newton, Kansas, at the time, but did not mind making the trip to Wichita to buy those dolls for Sandra and Marti for Christmas.
Well, there are lots of memories of Christmases past, but of course I did not start this post to write about our gifts to each other, special as those memories are. What is on my mind and in my heart just now is what the apostle Paul called “the unspeakable gift.” (II Cor. 9:15) Note with me:
- The Grantor, God: It is an unspeakable gift…the gift of God which is eternal life. (Rom. 6:23) Unspeakable because it was compelled by divine love: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love…with loving kindness I have drawn thee.” (Jer. 31:3)
This unspeakable gift was a gift of everlasting love, and it was compelled by an impartial love: “God so loved the world…that whosoever believeth on Him….” (John 3:16)
It is also an incomprehensible love: “And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge….” (Eph. 3:19)
And it is an inexhaustible love. Again, Paul says the breadth, length, depth and height of
God’s love is something that we should strive with all saints to comprehend; but which, in truth, “passeth knowledge.” (Eph. 3:18,19). His unspeakable gift, like none other, was compelled by love.
And it was constrained by His abundant mercy: “The Lord is merciful and gracious; slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.” (Ps.103:8) “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy He saved us.” (Tit. 3:5)
His inexpressible gift of eternal life was compelled by love, constrained by mercy, and conveyed by His exceeding grace: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” (Tit.2:11) It was and is truly a grace gift; free and available to all who by faith will simply receive it: “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8,9)
- The Gift: God’s unspeakable gift, which is eternal life, consists of a permanent place, a permanent provision, and a permanent peace. (John 14:3;14,27)
- The Grantee: Any person who believes and receives the gift of God which is eternal life. (John 1:12; Romans 6:23; 10:9-13) All persons who will believe and receive the gift of God which is eternal life.
It’s as simple as this: 2 + 2 = 4; that’s mathematics. H2O = water: that’s chemistry. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved: that’s revelation. Someone asked, “How do you know?” Well, go add 2 + 2 and see what you get. Go believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and see what happens.
So great salvation! Such an unspeakable gift!
“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (I Tim. 1:15)
YOU and GOD 