Advent: Love

When I think about Christmas, I’m overwhelmed with the realization of the depth of God’s love for us. 

 

It was God’s love that promised on the very day of the fall of mankind that He would send a Savior to crush the power of sin and death and redeem mankind. 

 

It was Jesus’ love for the Father and for us that caused Him to leave the throne of Heaven and come to earth to be that Savior. 

 

Even though He faced the hatred of those He came to redeem, Jesus’ love carried Him to the cross. 

 

This was the purpose of the baby in the manger: to fulfill God’s love toward mankind and to bring us back into His loving purposes. 

As I look back on Bethlehem and the love that brought Jesus into this world, I want to also look around me for ways to share that love with others.

 

Luke 6:35

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

 

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

 

John 13:1

Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

 

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

 

John 13:35

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

 

John 14:21

He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.

 

John 14:23

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.