LOVE Fourth Sunday of Advent Today, this final Advent Sunday, we reflect on the love of Christ.

Paul exhorts the Colossian church… 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Above all these, put on love.

Reflect now, on How God demonstrated His love To you. Consider the act of God becoming human. Taking on flesh. Not just becoming human, but becoming an infant. A vulnerable, needy, dependent infant. The birth of Jesus is a love story – God demonstrating to us His desire to create a way for us to be near to Him. Just like a loving parent desires nearness with a child… or a loving friend desires togetherness. God Himself chose nearness to us. Because He loves us. God loves you.

Consider this love – love that is of God, and love that IS God. For you. For the whole world. For all the ordinary people, in all of their ordinariness. Take a moment to reflect on the ways you have experienced the love of God toward yourself?

In the beginning, the word became flesh and dwelt among us. Why? For God so loved the world that He gave his only son. Because God IS love. As we consider the fourth Advent candle, let’s reflect on the love of God toward us, and how the light of His love is meant to overflow from our lives toward others.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. Amen