God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love — not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.” (1 John 4:9-12)
Christmas can be overwhelming, especially for those who are hurting financially, physically, or emotionally. Which is why we must return again and again to the reason for the season. Christmas is not about the tree, the decorations, the stockings, the presents, the feasts. It is about the unplumbable depth of God’s love.
God’s love is unselfish, unconditional, sacrificial love. “This is real love: not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God” (The Message).
This divinely initiated love becomes the catalyst for loving others. “When we are filled with God’s merciful presence, we can do nothing other than minister because our whole being witnesses to the light that has come into the darkness” 1
God does not ask of us what He hasn’t first poured into us. The love we share for one another is not rooted in our feelings towards another person. Neither is it just charitable actions. Christlike love is characterized by forgiveness, sacrifice, compassion, humility, and a desire to help others thrive.
This is our purpose, our calling: to reflect God to the world by loving others as God has loved us. This Christlike love is the strongest manifestation and substantiation of our faith in Jesus Christ. In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Thought: Love is more choice than emotion. When emotions fail, love endures.
1 Henri Nouwen, You Are the Beloved: Daily Meditations for Spiritual Living, pg 242
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