An Unspeakable Gift

Recently my church had a three day revival, and one of our guest preachers was Dr. Raphael Warnock, from Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly the church where Dr. Martin Luther King preached. I am not going to try to recant his entire message but his sermon was entitled, "More Than Words Can Say." I said to myself, oh, boy, we are in for a treat! I had no idea what a treat it would be.

Dr. Warnock cited one of the letters which the Apostle Paul wrote: 2 Corinthians 9:15, which states, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (NIV) He said that God's gift of His Son, Jesus, to us was so indescribable that words were not enough to describe Him! Paul was telling the Corinthians not to be stingy in their giving because God gave the greatest gift to us.

I started researching other translations for the same scripture and one translation described Jesus as "inexpressible" gift (Standard); another version said that Jesus was an "unspeakable" gift (KJV) and the New Living Translation said that we should "thank God for this gift too wonderful to describe."

It made me ponder that the words, "indescribable," "inexpressible," "unspeakable," and "too wonderful to describe" were in all these translations. Can you imagine anything or anyone that is indescribable that there are no words with which you could say anything?

The commentary in my Bible said that God is the first giver; He selflessly gives Himself to us in the person of His Son, and all true Christian giving is our grateful response. We are in God's debt for the unspeakable gift of His Son!

Have you ever had a gift that was so wonderful your lips could not utter a description of it? My, My, My! A gift is something you get for free. Our gifts can never compare to God's sacrifice for us. So when you think about giving, think on this scripture that God gave Himself, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 says that "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." It goes on to say in the next verse that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

I have to admit that John 3:16 is one of my favorite scriptures and really touches my heart that anyone who sacrifice His own Son for my benefit is more than words can say. It is the greatest gift that I could have received.

I am indeed left speechless!

Thought for Today: When you think you have given all you can give, think on God's "unspeakable" gift, His Son.