Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
When we think of Christmas, our minds instinctively turn to the birth of Jesus: the nativity scene, the manger, the star, and the shepherds. Yet Christmas is far more than a birth announcement. It is a divine exchange. It marks not only an arrival on earth, but a profound departure from heaven. For us, a Child was born. But for God the Father, a Son was given.
This distinction is powerful. A child is born through necessity; a son is given through love. Heaven did not lose control when Jesus came; it made a deliberate choice. God gave what was most precious to Him so that we might receive what we could never obtain on our own. His giving became our gain. His generosity became our hope.
Jesus stepped down from the throne of heaven into the humility of a manger. He exchanged the worship of angels for the lowly company of animals. The One who holds the universe together willingly confined Himself to the vulnerability of human flesh. He who knew only perfection chose to dwell among brokenness. This was not accidental, nor symbolic; it was costly, intentional, and deeply personal.
The giving of the Son reveals the depth of the Father’s heart. Love is proven not by words alone, but by what one is willing to release. God did not send a message, a principle, or a system: He sent Himself. The sacrifice was real. Heaven felt the cost of Christmas long before earth celebrated it.
There is a divine principle at work here: every true receiving is rooted in a prior giving. When Jesus left the Father’s dwelling, He entered ours. When He released heaven’s security, He embraced humanity’s fragility. What God released from His hand was placed into ours, not to burden us, but to bless us.
This principle continues to shape our lives today. What God releases toward us is always for our good, and what we place back into His hands is always safe. When we open our hands to receive Christ, we are not merely accepting a belief: we are welcoming divine life, wisdom, power, and peace into our everyday existence.
Isaiah’s prophecy (Is 9:6) reminds us that receiving Christ means receiving all that He is.
Jesus is our Wonderful Counsellor. He is not distant or abstract; He is present and personal. His wisdom is not theoretical; it is practical, compassionate, and perfectly timed. He understands the pressures of life because He walked through them Himself. In moments of confusion, His voice brings clarity. In seasons of uncertainty, His counsel steadies our hearts.
Jesus is our Mighty God. His strength is not limited by human weakness. Throughout His life, He demonstrated authority over sickness, storms, fear, and even death itself. His resurrection stands as the ultimate declaration that nothing is beyond His power. When we come to Jesus, we do not borrow strength; we receive it.
Jesus is our Prince of Peace. He does not merely offer peace; He embodies it. He calmed raging seas and restored tormented minds, revealing that His peace reaches both the chaos around us and the turmoil within us. In a fractured world and restless hearts, His presence brings wholeness, stability, and rest.
Christmas, then, is not just a moment in history: it is an invitation. An invitation to receive the Son who was given. To open our lives to His wisdom, rely on His strength, and rest in His peace. The gift of Jesus was not meant to remain in a manger; it was meant to dwell within us.
God’s greatest gift was not wrapped in splendour, but in humility. And yet, nothing has ever changed the world more.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank You for giving Your Son so freely. I receive Him afresh: His wisdom, His strength, and His peace. May my life reflect the gift I have received. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
SIX KEY TAKEAWAY POINTS
Christmas is not only about a birth on earth, but a willing sacrifice from heaven:
God gave His Son so we could receive life, hope, and restoration.
A Child was born for us, but a Son was given by the Father:
This reveals the depth, intention, and cost of divine love.
Jesus exchanged heaven’s glory for humanity’s brokenness:
His humility made redemption personal and accessible.
Every true receiving begins with a divine giving:
What God releases into our lives is always rooted in love.
Receiving Christ means receiving His wisdom, power, and peace:
He is present in every pressure, struggle, and uncertainty.
The gift of Jesus was meant to dwell within us, not remain in history: Christmas continues wherever Christ is welcomed into the heart.
