As we continue our journey toward Christmas, this coming Sunday in our churches, we will light the Advent Candle of LOVE and focus our attention on the incomparable LOVE of God for our world that He chose to send His own Son Jesus. We read in I John 1:9, “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.” God gave the extraordinarily generous gift of His Son Jesus because he wanted the best way possible to demonstrate His LOVE for us. He did not want there to be any doubt that He loves us completely, always, and forever. I had an experience recently that reminded me of the dependable LOVE of God. We had a couple of boxes of matches that we have had for several years. They actually came from my mother-in-law’s house. I took a match out of one of the boxes to strike it to light a candle. It would not light. I tried a couple others and the same thing. I assumed that the matches were not useful any more and took them to my friend to get rid of them in her fire pit. I figured that they no longer served their purpose of lighting as they were intended to do. I was very surprised when my friend’s son took one of the matches and struck it and it did light. Then my friend took a couple more and they too ignited into a bright flame. I was able to light yet another match myself. While I had assumed that because a couple of the matches would not light that none of them were worth keeping, I was wrong. This reminds me to keep trusting God and His LOVE for us that is dependable. We can hold on to our faith in God and expect the light of His love to shine for us. The gift of Jesus, God’s Son at Christmas confirms for us that there is light in the darkness. We can be reassured that God still has purpose in shining the light of His LOVE for us and those for whom we pray. This week when we pause for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow December 14th at 1 pm we will pray that again this Christmas we will be convinced of God’s LOVE for us and our world. We will look for His LOVE to be reignited in our hearts and lives.
Praying that the light of God’s LOVE will continue to burn brightly in us and through us, Pastor Lola.
Our ever loving God, You have shown us what love is by sending your own Son Jesus into our world so that we can live through Him. You God have defined love for us in this powerful and unmistakable way. Thank You for always listening to us when we come to You in prayer. Thank You for revealing Your love for us over and over. When the flame of our faith is not lighting and bringing us hope, thank You God that You can restore our faith in You. Thank You God for all the ways that You remind us of Your LOVE each day. Thank You that we can see Your LOVE in the sunrise signalling the promise of a new day. Thank You for our experience of Your LOVE in the relationships You have given us with family and with friends. Thank You God for ongoing insights into Your purpose for our lives that gives life meaning and satisfaction. We recognize Your persistent LOVE for us when we fall short of what You invite us to be. We have known Your LOVE for us when we have been well and when we have experienced illness. Our God You give us the delight of meeting new people we have not known before and we see Your LOVE revealed. In our anxious thoughts about the present and the future, You God visit us with Your abiding LOVE and reassurance. At this time of year, when for many Christmas becomes a time of feeling stressed and distressed, we pray that we will keep focused on Jesus and that we will know Your LOVE through Him. When we long for Your light to shine in our darkness, we pray that we will keep looking expectantly to You. God, like a warm and comforting blanket, please surround those who especially need Your LOVE displayed. We pray for those who have lost hope to will find hope in Your constant LOVE for them. We pray for those who have been mistreated and find it hard to believe that they are loved. We pray for those who have been touched by loss that You will continue to bring comfort through Your immense compassion for them. Please remind us to reach out with LOVE to those who find Christmas an especially tender time because of grief. Our God, we want to keep returning to gaze at Jesus and to see in Him the full expression of Your LOVE for our world. We know very well that we do not live in a world where all is calm and all is bright. We do not pretend that our world is without heartaches and fears. Yet Your LOVE continues to be birthed in us as we turn to You. Our God we pray that You will overcome hate through the encompassing power od Your LOVE and grace. When we light the Advent candle of LOVE, please light the love of Your Presence again in us. May its soft glow draw us and others to You. We ask God that as You have loved us so much that we will respond to Your LOVE with committed LOVE and devotion that will transform us and our world for Jesus’ sake. In His matchless Name we pray, AMEN.