Monday, December 26, 2005
Second Christmas Day
2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
BEYOND DESCRIPTION
One of the Bible passages often used for a recitation in our children's Christmas service is 2 Corinthians 9:15: "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift," referring of course to that which is remembered at Christmas, the sending of the Son into the world. Newer versions translate "his indescribable gift," which is perhaps better. Man can "speak" of the giving of the Son for the salvation of men, but his language falters when it comes to properly describing it. Our words become inadequate.
At Christmas we busy ourselves with the giving of gifts. It could well be that this custom developed among Christians as an "afterglow," as it were, of the gift of the Son, and an expression, although limited, of the entire concept of giving. We might consider just how limited and limping this expression is, especially in relation to that specific gift which we remember and celebrate at Christmas.
Our giving has several aspects which reveal its limping characteristic. It is conditioned by custom and tradition. Gifts are given on set occasions, Christmas, birthday, wedding, and the anniversaries of these various events. And as we exercise giving we find it is a matter carried out primarily among those we know and love, family, relatives and friends: those with whom there has developed a close, personal affection.
God's gift was not a matter of exchanging, not a matter of love and affection in the common, human sense. The only way we could in any measure duplicate it would be to find a skid-road bum, having no redeeming characteristics, and then give to him a generous gift. We don't do that. It most likely would be a waste of consideration, time and money.
But this gives us a start in an effort to comprehend the "indescribable" nature of the gift of God. What man finds unreasonable and impossible to do, God did. And He went on to the further miracle of bringing it about that where there was enmity and hatred, there would be humble acceptance, and grateful appreciation and thanks. This is where we as Christians find ourselves. Most likely, to the end of time Christians will be giving gifts and well they might. But we should understand that at best this giving is only a feeble expression of what has been received in Christ. So we say with Paul, "Thanks be to God for His unspeakable -- indescribable gift."
