“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Cor 9:15). That’s how Paul finishes that chapter to the Corinthians concerning their generosity and willingness to participate in meeting the needs of the church by their financial gift.
Paul is grateful to the Christians in the church for seeing the real need that existed and responding to it in a way that confirms the Gospel and glorifies God. But his final sentence in this chapter is a reminder to them and to us, about what we are celebrating at Thanksgiving and at Christmas. Our thanks to God is prompted by the free grace-gift of his Son Jesus Christ. To say that he was given to us as a gift is to communicate that it was for our benefit, and apart from any payment on our part.
The gift is inexpressible because it is beyond human capability to describe the riches of the glory that are contained in Christ. And yet we are called to express our thanks, praise, and faith in Christ by our lives and testimony and by our own giving.
In all of the presents that we share at Christmas, may we be reminded of the inexpressible gift of Christ. In all of the sparkling lights, may we be reminded of the shining star that led the wisemen to come and worship Christ and to offer him their gifts. And when we admire our beautiful Christmas tree with all of its decorations, may we remember the cross which is called a tree in the Scriptures and which was decorated by Christ himself the perfect expression of God’s holiness and love.
As we come to the end of the year and meditate upon his inexpressible gift in Christ, let us all pray for grace and wisdom to express our gratitude and praise by meeting the financial needs that exist in our church as the Corinthians did, for the praise of his glory, and the good of his church.
