Very few people doubt the significance of love. It is the constant subject of songs, of stories, and of our conversations with one another. The words, “I love you,” whether they are from a parent, a spouse, a child, or a friend fill our hearts in a way few other words can. We all anticipate being loved in a way that rescues us from loneliness and sadness. Love is also connected to pain. Sometimes we lose people that we love. Sometimes we give our love to people and they don’t give their love back to us. Love transforms us, but unrequited love breaks our hearts. Love is right at the center of the Christmas story. When God wanted to demonstrate His love, He didn’t just send us things. He didn’t just send us protection. He didn’t just make promises from far away. God showed His love by sending us His Son to be God-with-us. God showed His love by sacrificing what was most precious to Him in order to make us His children. This fourth week of Advent we rejoice in Jesus as our love. We celebrate God’s great love in sending His one and only Son to make us safe and secure as God’s children forever.