Love
Read 1 John 4:10-12.
"10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."
Christmastime is a time for love—to show love to family, friends, and neighbors. With all the festivities surrounding us, this should be easy, right? For some of us, it may be. But for others, this holiday is less of an easy demonstration of love, and more a test of it. Perhaps you know you’ll spend the day with that family member who, simply put, just really drives you crazy. Maybe you’ll be spending the holidays alone despite wanting to show love to others (or wanting desperately to receive it). Or for many, this is your first Christmas without someone you love dearly.
Whether you are excited about the coming celebration of Jesus’ birth or dreading the feelings it may stir up inside of you, there is a shared need among us all. No matter where we find ourselves on this spectrum, the call to love at Christmastime (and all the time) highlights our dependence on God. In the verses we read today, John says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
God’s love for us moved far beyond “feelings” and into decisive action. He loved us so much that He sent Jesus to be born, to live, and to die for our sins. In response, we ought to offer a similar response to those around us. No sacrifice of our time or energy could ever compare to the sacrifice of Christ, but in this season we have a unique opportunity to imitate Him. See, love is not simply how we feel. Love for others, like the love of Jesus, is made manifest in our actions.
So, no matter how you may “feel”—whether you find yourself in the “holiday spirit” or like each day of this time of year is another hurdle for you to clear—Advent ought to be a welcome reminder of your complete dependence on God and to demonstrate His love. Every day of this season provides a reminder that apart from God, we cannot truly know love, and without Him, we cannot rightly give it.
[Matt Chandler (2021). (p. 45). Family Advent Devotional - Bible Study eBook. Lifeway Press. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]