The Indescribable Gift - David H. Lauten

During a short-term summer missions trip helping construct the Camp Maranatha Chapel in Rio Verde, Mexico, our team spent a relaxing day together at Media Luna, a beautiful crystal-clear lake in the shape of a half-moon. The warm water ranges from blue to turquoise with great visibility, which allows underwater views up of to 100 feet. 

The most striking feature of this lake is the account that its depth was plumbed even by the famed Jacques Cousteau, and his able team found it unmeasurable. Media Luna is beyond measure. Media Luna is, for man's purposes, bottomless.

The grace of God in the incarnation of Jesus Christ is similarly immeasurable. Caught up with the sheer wonder of the gospel that is lavished upon us by the surpassing grace of God, Paul exclaims, “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). In this simple and yet profound verse, Paul captures the heart of the incarnation. In a day of much distraction, he teaches us how we are to celebrate Christmas. 

Paul conveys his response to this rich provision of God with two words: inexpressibleand thanks. The coming of our Savior from the Father’s side in glory to save sinners like us is indeed a marvelous gift that can’t be fully communicated by words. But for most of us, Christmas easily becomes commonplace. We lose the wonder, a sense of marvel at the incarnation. More than just overwhelming adoration, Paul is deeply thankful to God for the great gift of the Savior from glory.  In response to God’s redeeming grace, Paul has overflowing gratitude. 

As Paul contemplates the grandeur of the one born in Bethlehem, there is not the familiar attitude that often shrouds our celebration of Christmas. Paul breaks out in doxological praise: “Thanks be to God.”

We have much to learn from Paul about celebrating Christmas.

 Amid the uncertainty of what appears as an ever-advancing pandemic coupled with an uptick of political and social upheaval, we too rejoice in the marvelous gift of Christ coming into the world. May we on this day after Christmas, in the final words of Wesley’s famed hymn, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” be “lost in wonder, love and praise.”