⁶ For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.
(Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV, emphasis mine)

Isaiah continues with his prophecy, telling us this child will be a son.  And this son will be given with a purpose, for a purpose.

John reminds us of this purpose in his gospel:

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
(John 3:16-17 NIV)

This baby born, this Son given, was from God, for us, to save us and reconcile us back to God and give us eternal life.

God’s giving us Messiah, His one and only Son, was not a random act of kindness.  God gave us His Son with a plan and a purpose from eternity past, in preparation for eternity future, with a love so profound that we can barely comprehend.

God’s gift of His Son cost us nothing but cost Him everything.  The Apostle Paul reminds us of God’s character and love through the price God paid to ransom us from our sin:

³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
(Romans 8:32 NIV)

God gave us Messiah, His one and only Son so that there could be peace between a holy and righteous God and sinful and wayward humanity, so we could spend eternity with Him.

May our hearts rest in His peace and may our souls worship in praise and thanksgiving for Messiah, the one born to die, given for us, that we might live for Him.

A promise kept, and yet to come.

Blessings,
~kevin