In this final week of Advent, our attention is on LOVE.
The following verses may sound very familiar, so we will hear them twice. The first time is in the New Revised Standard Version. The second time youâll be reading from the Message. Listen for the call to love in these words.
Matthew 22:36-40 says,
âTeacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?â He said to him, ââYou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.â This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: âYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.â On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.â
âTeacher, which command in Godâs Law is the most important?â Jesus said, ââLove the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.â This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: âLove others as well as you love yourself.â These two commands are pegs; everything in Godâs Law and the Prophets hangs from them.â
Three purple candles and one pink candle are lit. đŁď¸đđź
God, we have learned to love from being loved by You. And so today, let us enact that love. Let us live that love. We know that what the world needs now is more love. We need to remember how much You love each one of us and we must share that love with others. Amen.
Happy Christmas Day!
Merry Christmas! Today is the day we have been preparing for throughout Advent. Jesus is born. Here is the story as recorded in Lukeâs Gospel:
In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. Since Joseph belonged to Davidâs house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Davidâs city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom.
Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. The Lordâs angel stood before them, the Lordâs glory shone around them, and they were terrified.
The angel said, âDonât be afraid! Look! I bring good news to youâwonderful, joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in Davidâs city. He is Christ the Lord. This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.â Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, âGlory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.â
When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, âLetâs go right now to Bethlehem and see whatâs happened. Letâs confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.â They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.
When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told.â
All five candles are lit.
We have been waiting for this day, Loving God. We have prepared ourselves for this special day. On this Christmas Day, let us live as those who let hope, peace, joy, and love reign in our lives. As the candles burn brightly and light our path, let us live as those who have Christâs light burning inside us today and every day. Amen.
All of my Advent content came from this link below:
May this bring a swell inside your heart as you receive from these words called spoken art.
Christmas monologue by For King and Country: https://youtu.be/ht-fp5gwp90
Letâs celebrate the greatest news this world has ever known! đ
If you havenât listen to their whole album, itâs amazing and I encourage you to give it an ear or two of your time.
As I summarize this Advent feature, letâs shine our light with all of His might, for itâs our purpose and delight. May you take some time as we end this 2022 year to release any and all emotional things that have gripped your heart with pain and fear. Send it down the river, for a new current is on its way and you want the heart space to be able to receive this new wave of this love and grace. đŻď¸
So, what can you empty out, move about, maybe even change your route đ so that the Spirit can fill you up to a renewed place of overflow and love?
I hope you want to know because I surely do!
This being the last week of the year and with a focus on LOVE, I want to remind you that LOVE WINS! True love when truly received melts any and all other emotions down to a pulp. Do you feel worthy of receiving this kind of love? I know it took some real soul searching to allow myself to receive it. Love is not just a feeling, itâs a person. The Father above saw it fit to bring His Son down low to one day be raised back up on high. Why? To eradicate sin and the grave so that we all one day will see Him face to face.
Welp, itâs been fun, and I canât believe another year has come and gone. Stay safe everyone.
Iâll be back next week to reflect and declare what this New Year is speaking to me with a Flare. â¤ď¸âđĽ
Until next time,
Stay Tender
Be a Sender
Connect to the Mender