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Dec 23, 2020 08:00am

Love in a Lost and Broken World: Final Week of the Advent

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I love Raisin’ Cane’s chicken.
I love country music.
I love cold weather.

In our lost and broken world, we “love” lots of things. The world has desensitized us to the true meaning of love.

The fourth week of Advent focuses on love. Specifically, God’s love for mankind by sending his Son to earth, which is what Christmas showcases. As we reflect on God’s love, we ask ourselves, “Do we let God’s love change the way we treat others around us?”

Let’s see what New Testament passages parallel with Advent’s focus on love.

During Advent, we’ve discussed Hope, Peace, Joy, and now Love in our blogs. These themes parallel with the first four traits listed as Fruits of the Spirit.

In fact, the first Fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5 is Love. I don’t think it is a coincidence that it is listed first. After all, Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39, “ . . . You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

We celebrate Christmas because God became a man. I think we take that part of the story for granted. The Creator of all things came to earth and lived among his creation. He lived a sinless life so we could know and be loved by him. Now that is a love that should overwhelm us. It is a love that changes us. It is a life-altering love.

God’s perfect gift of love, Jesus Christ, commands us to love.

If you have spent any time around church then you have heard this truth. It is Christianity 101, but why is it so hard to live loving your neighbor as yourself?

Do you struggle to do what seems so simple? I do. This week I’ve had to pause and pray for God to give me patience and kindness to those who I deemed didn’t deserve it.

I am thankful that God makes all things new, and that he’s a God of second chances and forgiveness. It is not too late. The Christmas season is a great time to start loving others anew.

In the upcoming days before Christmas, churches have some incredible opportunities to show Christ’s love, so let’s go out of our way to do so and show Christ’s love to all people. As the song “Go Tell It On the Mountain” says, let’s go “over the hills and everywhere.”

Don’t miss your chance.