"A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it…" [Prov 17:8]
In this world, unique items are of high value. They are bought and sold for great sums of money; for, when something is one-of-a-kind, it is most precious, and the value only increases the older and the more pristine condition the item is in. For this reason, when most men of this world come to possess such an item, they rarely part from it. The prestige from owning a unique piece is almost priceless, especially if it is highly sought after. But though men are often covetous over these things, not willing to give them up, and certainly not for free, yet God is not so.
Long ago, through Isaiah, The Holy Spirit spoke, saying,
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” [Isa 9:6]
God The Father has given us an “indescribable gift;” [2 Cor 9:15] that gift is the gift of His One-and-only Unique Son, Jesus Christ. Again, as Jesus said, “for God so loved the world, that He gave His One-and-only Unique Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [Jn 3:16] It was our Heavenly Father, God Almighty, who so loved us that He gave His Son Jesus as a gift. And Jesus, not out of force, but willingly, (even as we are told to give, with “a willing mind.” [2 Cor 8:12]), “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” [Gal 1:4] And again, Jesus, “gave Himself a ransom for all;” yes, He “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works.” [1 Tim 2:6, Titus 2:14] The Father and Jesus, in perfect unity, (for “The LORD our God is one LORD.” [Deut 6:4]), gave Jesus/Himself for our sins.
If we have been gifted anything of value, or have possessed anything at all, Jesus and His gift to us goes beyond them all. The gift The Father has given us, and which Jesus was in agreement with, goes beyond price, beyond anything this world has the capacity to describe: it is an “indescribable gift.” And yet, though so precious, yet The Father did not hold back, and Jesus did not despise it. Unlike men of this world, who covet that which is unique and valuable, God freely gave His Son Jesus for our redemption, and Jesus freely allowed it, giving up His life and shedding His blood. If God so freely gave us the highest and most valuable thing in all of existence, whether in earth or in heaven, then how shall He not also give us anything else that is necessary? As it is written,
“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” [Rom 8:32]
With all “wisdom and prudence,” [Eph 1:8] God gave us this gift. He did not find it odious nor unsavory, but wise and prudent. His most valuable Son: priceless, irreplaceable, unique, even “The Son of His love” in whom “it pleased The Father that in Him should all fulness dwell,” [Col 1:13, 19] was freely bequeathed to us in merciful, abundant love. Truly, “the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” [1 Ti 1:14] And so, though Christ, who is The Rock cut without hands, was “as a precious stone in the eyes of” His Father, yet He gave Him up for our sakes nonetheless, and for that He deserves our praise and thanksgiving.