The Unspeakable Gift

‘Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift.’ — z2 Cor. ix.

ie HE things which are freely given to us of God” are so many and so great that we can not know them all unless He gives us the Holy Spirit to make us know them (1 Cor. 11. ). Once two young friends of mine! set to work to make a list of all God’s gifts mentioned in the Bible. They found 530 gifts, and wrote them out in a scroll, and it was more than two yards long in three columns, and in small writing too! Suppose you try and make a list at least one yard long! What will you put down as the best gift of all? Here is the answer: “God so loved the world, that He gave fis only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John iii. y:

All the other good gifts from our Father (James i. ) come through this first great Gift, Jesus Himself. For He received gifts for us (Ps. lxviil. ), and now He is sending them down to us, daily loading us with benefits (ver. ys

Unless we are very careless and ungrateful indeed, we always care about a gift. “A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it” (Prov. xvii. ). Oh, what must God think of those who do not care about the most precious Gift He could possibly have given us! Dear ones, have you cared for this wonderful Gift? Have you ever thanked God for giving you His own dear Son? Think of His having given you Jesus to be to you all that these beautiful names describe. Think how He did not merely give Him, but “gave Him up for us all” (Rom. viii. ). Gave Him up all the thirty-three long years, gave Him up to be scourged and crucified! What would any one think of you if they gave you a magnificent present, that cost them a very great deal to part with, and you never said “Thank you!” Oh, what must God think if you do not thank Him for giving the Son of His love!

But if you do thank Him, what does that show? - What does it show when you say, “Oh, thank you very much!” for a birthday present? Does it not show the giver that you believe it is meant for you, and that you have taken it for your own? And then he leaves it with you, and it zs your own. Is there a little faint heart who is saying, “‘ Oh, I should like to know that Jesus is mine?” He is God’s gift to every one who will accept Him; so now you just go and kneel alone before God, and thank Him for His unspeakable Gift; and that will show that you have accepted Him, and that He yours.

I gave My life for thee,
My precious blood I shed
That thou might’st ransomed be
And quickened from the dead.
I gave My life for thee:
What hast thou given for Me?