a son is given

 Im sitting here wondering why Isaiah appears to repeat himself in our famous verse.  Unto us a child is born unto us a son is given.  Those two things are the same aren't they?  A male child is a son. Why use two different words to say the same thing in one phrase??   Given that nothing in scripture appears by mistake there has to be a reason for this particular arrangement of words. 

And then I looked again and I noted that there is something else. Born and given.  The child is born, as all children have to be. But the son is given.

Mary bore a child. But God gave a son.  Jesus became the son of Mary and Joseph but He is eternally the Son of God. Which of course Isaiah couldnt have known or understood, but by revelation he communicated the truth exactly.  Its important when we feel we hear God saying something that we communicate it as we receive it, even if it doesnt seem to make sense at the time.  And might not make sense for 800 years 😆

I was talking to someone about Christmas yesterday and asked what they were getting. (an adult) They said, Oh I dont really do the whole present thing for me, just focus on making sure the kids get what they want'.   And thats such a common stance to adopt isnt it?  How many of us have already said countless times this past few weeks ' Oh theres nothing I need really, please dont bother about me'?   But as I was explaining to my friend, when we adopt that mindset - and its entirely understandable because we all patently do have too much stuff and finances are tight - we are missing something.  We are denying the giver the joy of giving.

Giving the gift of the Son must have been the greatest pleasure God ever had.  Far surpassing the feeling He had when He sat back on day 7 and surveyed His handiwork of creation.  Maybe even surpassing the feeling He had as He raised Jesus from the tomb on Easter Sunday.   Because the gift of the Son as a baby 2000 years ago was the reason for creation.  And the resurrection was the final unwrapping of the gift.


Giving is at the very heart of God, Its what He is all about. Giving life, love, hope, peace, salvation, truth, wisdom ; the list goes on and on.  And because we are made in His image then we too are designed to be givers.  That can make it feel a bit uncomfortable when we are required to be receivers.  But we need to learn to receive graciously, as we have received Jesus

Your mission for today, should you choose to accept it, is to stop and have a proper think about something you really would like for Christmas. So that when someone asks you you can give a genuine reply and thereby allow that person the joy and delight of giving.

And if you really cant think of anything, ask for a surprise 


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