4TH SUNDAY of ADVENT - LOVE

So much has been written on the subject of love that I can't possibly add anything new or profound to it!  But here are some thoughts to ponder on love as it ties into Advent...

Hallmark movies portrays true love as romantic, butterflies in the tummy and happily-ever-after endings.

Country music gives the impression that love is the ultimate pursuit but it always ends in heartache, betrayal and then revenge.  

Beer commercials show us happiness comes in the form of amber liquid, bikini-clad women and smiles - that love and good times are synonyms.

TV sitcoms give us laughs at the everyday follies of love, marriage, family and life in the real world...that all of life's challenges can be resolved in half an hour.

Today, we can know real love, true love through the Bible.

John, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, wrote so much about love in his Gospel account and in his three letters to the early Christians.  Here are some iconic quotes from John's writings:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son..."  Gospel of John 3:16

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

"God is love..." 1 John 4:16

"Love one another..." Gospel of John 13:34; 1 John 3:11;  2  John 1:5b

The Old Testament describes God's love as steadfast (Lamentations 3:22a) "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases..." and as everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3) "I have loved you with an everlasting love..." and as abounding (Psalm 103:8)  "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love."  

What can we learn about God's love through these Bible references?  

*God is the source of love and initiator of love to humanity

*God's love is global, universal and trans-cultural

*God's love is lavished, abounding, generous

*God's love in us is a command to love one another

To dive deeper into the ocean of God's love, let's look at 1 Corinthians 13 - known as the "love chapter" of the Bible.  

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails.

What a beautiful and seemingly impossible description of true love!  Basically, we have to be perfect in order to love like this.   And therein lies the crux: only a perfect and holy God can attain to this perfect standard of love!

As we anticipate the celebration of the birth of Christ, we see that kind of love demonstrated: God sending His own Son to take the punishment of our sins.  Jesus grew to be a man, living through everything that we do in our human experience.   He loved others patiently, kindly, humbly, selflessly, sacrificially and truthfully. He persevered right through to death on our behalf and never failed.  He never failed His Father; He never failed us.

For you who are longing for this kind of steadfast and unfailing love, look no further.  God is offering His love to you through His Son.  Accept Jesus today.  Turn from your sins, confess them to God the Father and believe that Jesus has died to take away your sins and the spiritual consequences.  He will give you new life and you will become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5: 17).

For you who have this new life already, the challenge is to live with LOVE as your life statement.  Jesus says: "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34)  If you have animosity, hatred or unforgiveness towards someone else, examine your heart.  Maybe today is the day to forgive, to let go, to set aside the past and make things right with a family member, friend, fellow Christian or an enemy.  You know who that person (s) is and the voice of the Holy Spirit is prompting you this very moment. What Jesus commands, He has already done.  He forgave His Roman executors, His enemies among the Jewish religious leaders and He has forgiven you and me in order to adopt us as His children.  

"LOVE NEVER FAILS." (1 Corinthians 13:8a)