This is the fourth week of Advent – the week of LOVE. How have you seen God’s love in your life this week?
“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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)
This is the fourth week of Advent, the week of Love. But, really, that’s what they’ve all been about.
Today, we are celebrating the birth of Jesus, one of the greatest acts of love ever committed. And it was done for us. How much must God care for us to send his Son down to earth so that he might, ultimately, die for us? So that we can be saved from our own sins and live forever.
It’s a huge sacrifice. One that I, as a mother, cannot imagine making. And so when I focus on just that part of the verse, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,” my breath catches because that is a love almost too enormous for my human heart to comprehend. I wonder how Mary felt, looking down at Jesus’ just-born face and seeing the face of God, an incarnation of His great love for us.
His great love for us
Today, there will be presents and dinners and music. Family and friends, or maybe just you. No matter how you spend the day, remember that you are loved. Not just by those around you, but by your Father above. As you are. Where you are. Ugly Christmas sweater and all.
The birth of Jesus was the start of the greatest love story ever told, and it’s about us.
I hope that the boundless love of our Lord fills your heart today and each day forward,. And I pray that you spread that love to others so that they, too, can feel the touch of God in their lives. For many, the holidays can be dark and lonely times, and we sometimes need a reminder that God’s light shines brightly on us all and that He will never leave us.
May your day be filled with love, joy, peace, and hope.
Merry Christmas!
Looking for more posts on the Advent season? Check out the other weeks:
Advent Week 1: The Week of Hope
Advent Week 2: The Week of Peace
and
Advent Week 3: The Week of Joy
This post was originally published in December 25, 2017, but it has been updated since then.
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