A Son Was Given
I helped change our church sign for Christmas. Gathering the letters one at a time, led me to mediate on adoption and on Isaiah 9:6. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given . . ..”
Many sons are given these days. Mothers who are children themselves aren’t prepared to tackle the full-time demands of a baby or for guiding them into adulthood. They often give their innocent babies up for adoption.
Most of those mothers are torn apart when they make the decision that their baby would be better cared for in a family. There are exceptions, but most give up their infants because they want the best for them. They do it out of love.
Over the years, they track their child’s birthdays, watch other children who are the same age, and dream of what their child looks and acts like. Most continue to hold their babies in their hearts. even though they will never see them again.
Adoption usually brings life and joy to the child and to the family that enfolds it. However, recently, I spoke with a mother who gave up two babies and continues to long for them. With tears in her eyes, she said she was glad she did it, because she knows it’s best for the children.
But it is a sacrifice to give up a child, to release someone who is part of you.
At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the son that our heavenly Father gave up. As I pulled the letters for the sign, I began to think about what it takes to give a son.
The almighty, the perfect Father in whom all wisdom dwells, gave up His son. He is the perfect father, the model for all fathers, but He gave His son.
Furthermore, He didn’t give just any child. He gave His only son, a perfect child, one born without sin. A Son Who had been with Him from eternity, One He knew would please Him in everything.
Two other words in the verse stood out to me, “to us.” “To us a child is born. To us a son is given.”
God gave His Son up—to us! Like many parents today, He was motivated by love. John 3:16 say, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”
But, there is a marked difference from us.
God didn’t make the sacrifice because it would be best for His son. He did it because He “so loved” the world. He loved you and me so much that He gave His beloved son to and for us.
That love is deeper than we can imagine. You see, there’s more.
When God gave that baby, born in a lowly manger, to us He knew that the day would come when His precious Son would be despised, rejected, and die a cruel death on a cross. God sent His perfect son to suffer a terrible death at our hands.
And yet, “to us a Son was given.”
Why? A holy God can’t fellowship with sinful man, and He wanted to have a relationship with us, so He provided a way to clean us up. He did it so we can be adopted as his children.
He did it because He loves us.
In return, He simply asks us to love Him in return. He offered his pure, faithful always-with-us love, asking only for our wavering, contaminated love, which is polluted with self-centeredness.
That is something to celebrate! But it is also incomprehensible. We’re not worthy of such a gift.
And yet, God did it. He gave His son to–and for–me and you. Because he loves us so much.
Unto us a Son is given. Seeing this more clearly deepens my desire to know my heavenly Father, to know His love, and to love Him in return.
I desire the same for you. This Christmas, may you and yours be wrapped in God’s perfect love.