We are in the season of Advent; it is a period of spiritual preparation. Christians prepare themselves to observe the “coming” or birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The celebration and observance of Advent typically involves a season of prayer, fasting, and repentance, followed by anticipation, hope, and the joy of Christmas Day.
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Christians celebrate Advent not only to thank God for Christ's first coming to Earth as a baby, but also for His presence among us today through the Holy Spirit. It is also a time to prepare for and anticipate His final coming at the end of the age.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 NLT
The Advent season is filled with expectations. It’s a time to remind us that the people of the world need a coming Savior, and to celebrate how the world was changed when Christ was born. It is a season that is filled with the light and love of Jesus, the King, who was born to save us. Advent reminds us how great God’s love is for us as He sent His Son to be our Savior.
God wants a relationship with us; He wants our hearts.
For over 2,000 years God pursued His people. He tried to get their attention in all kinds of ways. He created the beautiful Garden of Eden. He painted a rainbow in the sky. He provided a big family in a new home in a new land. He parted a body of water so His people could escape the enemy. Ultimately, He guided them into a better land, one that was “flowing with milk and honey”.
Why? Because He loved them. He wanted them to know Him; He wanted them to love and know Him. He pursued and pursued and pursued, but they turned their backs on Him. They rejected Him; yet, He still loved them.
So, the time came. In Matthew 1:23 we read, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
Imagine that for a second…God came to earth! He didn’t send a representative…He sent himself. God….with us. He came to walk with us. To talk to us. To listen to us. To pray with us. To guide us. To protect us. To encourage us. To pick us up when we fall. How is that not a story that shows His great love for us!
Yet, His love doesn’t end there. He also came to die for us. He presented something very precious. Something of extraordinary cost. With His arms outstretched on a cross, He offered His life. He was mocked and crucified. He endured all that because of His love for us.
Christmas is a yearly reminder how much God loves each of us. The Bible says God is love. It doesn’t say God has love; it says God is love.
But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8 NLT
There is nothing you can do that will make God stop loving you. You could try, but you simply can’t do it – because His love for you is based upon His character and not on anything you do or say or feel.
As we move into the holiday season this year, let’s ask God to keep this picture of love at the forefront of our minds. Ask Him to show each of us ways to treat others with this spirit of unconditional love. Thank Him for the ultimate show of His love for us—the gift of His Son, Jesus.
“Jesus is the Reason for the Season”
- Unknown
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