Hey friends!  A few more days until Christmas is here!!  By now, HOPEFULLY your stress level is down and you are pumped to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  I know I am.  I can’t wait to sit back, drink my coffee and watch the fam open their gifts.

Yesterday, we spent Christmas with Jon’s side of the family for the first time since COVID.  There are a lot of reasons why we haven’t seen each other, but at the end of the day, it was easier to not get together at this time of year (we all have to drive to a central location to see each other).  This year, Jon said, “Nope.  We are getting together!”  So we did.  And it was so nice!  It was low key, easy, full of laughter and love.  Jon, Logan and I realized how much we missed them and just how much we love them!  We always loved them but you know the saying…absence makes the heart grow fonder.

This got me thinking about the season.  For most of us, this season is about love.  But what about those who are hurting?  I can see where some find this time of year as the most loveless time of year.  Where do you find love in the middle of this season where everyone is happy?  Let’s talk about it.

No matter how you feel about the Christmas season, God’s Word gives us reason to rejoice when we consider the meaning behind this holiday.  Scripture tells us that God loved ALL of us (yes, He loves those who don’t love Him) so much that he sent His only Son to save us.  Clearly this was the plan all throughout history because it was prophesied MANY times throughout the Old Testament.  When Jesus was born, the path was always to the cross where He would die to save us.  If that doesn’t define love, let me give you a few other reasons.  🙂

God is love.  If you are not familiar with God defining love, this statement might be confusing.  The Bible tells us that God is perfect.  He is patient, good and righteous.  He is not loving…he is love.  The miracle of Christmas is from the great love He has for us.  “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”  1 John 4:16.  

To show us, Jesus came to show us God’s love.  We all are separated from God by sin because only He is perfect.  We couldn’t fix our relationship with Him because it wasn’t possible and He knew it.  He knew He had to intervene by sending Jesus.  This was the only way we could receive salvation.  Christmas is the time of year we remember Jesus’s arrival.  “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8

Because of Jesus, we can show God’s love to others.  As we have talked in previous weeks, it’s easy to get caught up in the gift giving aspect.  But what this time of year should tell us is to love others as God has loved us.  We need to be ready to love those who feel alone or discouraged.  It’s the time of year where we encourage others to experience the gift we all received from God.  “We love because he first loved us.”1 John 4:19

Lastly, God’s love is eternal.  This season, if you are hurting, it is most likely over rejection, bitterness or heartbreak.  God will never let you down.  He will never break a promise, lessen His love or let you go.  God gave us Jesus which is HUGE.  Do you think if someone gave you their only Son would revoke their love from you?  Nope.  THIS is something we can all rejoice in this Christmas and all throughout the year!  “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  1 Corinthians 13:13

So friends, this holiday season, remember those who need extra love.  I know some say they don’t want or need love, but you know they are hurting.  If you feel like you can’t show them love by inviting them over or giving them a meal, then just pray for them.  You don’t have to tell them OR maybe you do want to tell them.  If you are someone who is hurting this season and you need/want to feel God’s love, please come to our service tomorrow night at 6pm.  It’s always short and we don’t care what you wear!  What I can promise you is people will be smiling and happy.  We will introduce ourselves but we won’t be annoying, I promise!  If you want to sit next to me, I always sit on the right side as you walk in.  I am a little more than halfway up and I sit on the vent.  🙂  It’s my unofficial assigned seat.  No matter what, please come and feel His love this season.  

Merry Christmas,

Jennifer