Advent Week #4: LOVE
Dear church,
Merry Christmas! When you get a chance to read this, I hope you have had enjoyed a beautiful Christmas with the ones you love. Yesterday we lit the final Advent candle that invtes us into a exploration of the essence of divine love. Love is more than a sentiment; it's the very fabric of God's character and the enduring force that propels the narrative of redemption.
At the core of the Advent story is the divine proclamation in John 3:16 (NLT): "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." This verse encapsulates the unparalleled magnitude of God's love—selfless, sacrificial, and all-encompassing. The birth of Jesus marks the ultimate expression of this divine love, a love so profound that it shattered the barriers between heaven and earth. Scripture is full of examples that help us understand love at its deepest levels.
Think about the Old Testament story of Hosea and Gomer. In Hosea 3:1, God instructs Hosea to reconcile with his unfaithful wife, mirroring the relentless love God has for His people despite their waywardness. Just as Hosea pursues Gomer with unfailing love, God pursues us, His beloved, with a love that redeems and restores.
Consider the story of Ruth, a narrative woven with threads of loyalty and selflessness. Ruth's declaration to her mother-in-law Naomi in Ruth 1:16 (NLT) captures the essence of covenant love: "Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God." This commitment echoes God's covenantal love for us—a love that goes beyond circumstances and transcends worldly boundaries.
In the Christmas story itself, Joseph's response to Mary's unexpected pregnancy exemplifies a love marked by compassion and grace. In Matthew 1:19-20 (NLT), we read, "Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream." Joseph's decision to protect Mary demonstrates a love that chooses kindness over judgment—a love that foreshadows the redemptive love of Jesus, who came not to condemn but to save.
In the midst of the Advent season's festivities, let's not forget the ultimate act of love—the cross. Because without the cross, Christmas becomes pretty emnpty. In Romans 5:8 (NLT), Paul declares, "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." The birth of Jesus in the manger points to the sacrificial love that culminates on the cross. It is on the cross that we witness the depth of God's love, as Jesus willingly embraces the pain of humanity, offering redemption and reconciliation.
Love, as exemplified in the Advent narrative, is not merely an emotion but a transformative force that compels us to act with kindness, grace, and selflessness. This Advent, let the flame of love inspire us to be vessels of God's love, reflecting the light of His unconditional and redemptive love to a world in need of hope and healing. Love's Advent beckons us to unwrap the greatest gift of all—the love of God manifested in the birth of Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas, church family. I love you, church.
~ Daniel
