Advent Week 4: Love (God’s Love Story)

God’s love story to the earth.

Christmas morning: Jesus is born.

True love — God’s love — is found in a Person.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)

Good Friday: Jesus died for our sins

God’s love is shown when we sacrifice for the benefit of another.

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. (John 3:16)

Easter: Jesus rose from the dead

Where there is God’s love, there is life.

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:6)

Still to come: Jesus Returns

Love stays to the finish line.

Love never fails. (1 Corinthains 13:8a)

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

God’s love story is still being written!

“Show me how to love.”

I have become obsessed with this prayer for the last few months. When I get an email from a student, “show me how to love.” When I watch someone in my life struggling and needs help, “show me how to love.” My spouse is working incredibly long hours right now in this busy season, “show me how to love.” When a friend was pouring out her heart to me, “show me how to love.”

Why is it so important?

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If we have not love, we gain nothing, are nothing, and become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. In other words — without God’s love flowing through us — nothing we do lasts beyond the moment or is worthy of reward. In addition, we can become an irritant and bother to people. Who would want to be around us, and who wants this to be said about us?

The biggest reason to love people, however, is because God is love.

Just like Jesus reflected God’s love to us by loving enemies, speaking to all people, pouring his life into a rag-tag group of disciples (who went on to change the world), we get to reflect God’s love to the world in the same way. For every Christ follower, the Holy Spirit of God dwells inside our physical frame. Wherever we go, God the Spirit travels with us! We, as Christ followers, in the power of the Holy Spirit, can slay the fleshly desires that scream to have their way. Like Jesus modeled for us, we too — when walking closely with God — can die to our flesh for the benefit of others, breathe the life of God into our relationships, and we can stay through hard times. This is a miracle that is possible, and I want to live the miracle.

Christmas isn’t just about a baby.

Christmas is part of God’s love story to the world. The story is now passed along to us to continue writing. We have the privilege of inviting God’s love into earth’s history by loving people until Jesus returns. Once again, the fact that we can do this is a miracle, and I want to live the miracle, don’t you? Consider asking God to use you that way.

“Show me how to love,” prayer:

Heavenly Father, it’s Christmas week, the week we celebrate the birth of your Son Jesus. He lived, died, rose again and then sent His Spirit to empower and seal us (John 16:7, Ephesians 1:13). It’s a love story. Thank you for loving the entire world so deeply.

I ask that you bless Christmas eve and Christmas day in my home, whether the decorations and gifts were what I hoped for, or not. I choose to make this holiday about Jesus and your love story. I want you to know that I don’t want to wake up the day after Christmas and consider Christmas over. I want to participate in your love story for the world year-round.

I can’t be in relationship with everyone, just like you weren’t! But show me to what level I am to love each person and show me how to love each person. May everyone in my life know God better because they crossed paths with me. I am not Jesus, of course, but the fact that I can — to some measure — live a life of love is one of the gifts you are giving me this Christmas morning. I open that gift and ask that I live it.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Enjoy God’s love story told through Jesus this week.

Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise;
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic host proclaim
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Picture Explanation: From my house to yours. Merry Christmas.

Speaking of living a short life enjoying and passing along the LOVE of God: If you want to join the next online One Gritty Blink Bible study, click on the Oaks Ministries link in the copyright line. Check out the study in the One Gritty Blink tab, then send me an email in the Contact tab so I can place you on a list to be contacted for a future study! Let’s not just focus on things in this short life, but also what counts for eternity.

Note: No part of my posts are derived from A.I. Thoughts and writing stem from my mind and heart as I process life week-by-week and continue to grow in my understanding of God and how to apply His wisdom to the world around me.

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