God Is With Us: Jesus Is God's Perfect Gift To The World

Adjowa, who lives in Togo, feared for her baby’s survival due to suffering extreme undernutrition because of poverty. Thankfully, she received support from her local Compassion partner church, and both mum and baby are now thriving. Like most mothers, Adjowa is enormously proud of her child. After all, most parents love an opportunity to share about their children’s gifts and talents!

For truly extravagant claims about a child, look no further than Isaiah 9:6! Five hundred years before Jesus was born, this prophecy was written about him.

Let’s explore the claims of this passage:

Jesus is our Wonderful Counsellor

How can we trust Jesus to guide and counsel us with compassion and wisdom? The writer of Hebrews explains that ‘we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are...’

Jesus understands human experience because he came to Earth and went through it himself. He understands our needs – our tiredness, stress, and hunger. He understands emotional pain like grief and betrayal. He knows the joys of friendship and the embrace of a mother.

Jesus is our Mighty God

While Jesus can sympathise with our weaknesses, he never sinned. As we relate to Jesus’ humanity, we mustn’t lose sight of his divinity.

One aspect of his divine nature is that Jesus is eternal. For example, the opening chapters of John’s Gospel remind us that he has always existed in perfect relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Together, they created the whole world.

Jesus is our Everlasting Father

Jesus isn't to be confused with God the Father—they’re distinct from each other. But Jesus displays many father-like qualities. Earthly fathers inevitably fall short, even the ones who are loving. Maybe you’ve experienced a father who was distant, unreliable, or even actively hurtful ...

Whatever our experiences, Jesus represents a better image of fatherhood. Jesus loves us perfectly and provides for all we need.

Jesus is our Prince of Peace

Ultimately, Jesus will restore creation to perfect peace: peace with God and peace between each other.

This is the baby Mary cradled in her arms that first Christmas night. This is the God we’re invited to worship.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for Jesus, who fulfils all God’s promises for bringing peace, justice, and reconciliation. Help us grasp the enormity of his love and sacrifice. Amen.