For God so loved the World: An Advent Reflection

On the fourth, and final Sunday in Advent, Rev'd Caroline from Roath and Cathays Ministry Area reflects on love.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to the world in a manger.

Through an overflowing of love for humanity, God gave his only begotten Son, born in an outhouse, to share all of our human vulnerability.

And so we wait at the end of this Advent season. We wait and we hope, and we pray. We wait to celebrate the love that entered the brokenness of this world at Christmas.

Advent love is a recognition of just how much God cares for us. The coming of Jesus is love in action. And the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus all signify that kind of love. Selfless action. Selfless love.

Jesus focused on preaching love throughout his ministry. Two of his greatest commands involve love: Love God, love your neighbour as yourself.

Love is the gift of God, who gave us His only begotten Son and that very love was Jesus’ entire purpose for being on earth.

We cannot be Christians without Christ and without love.

Many of us light our Advent candles. The candles that remind us of hope, peace, joy, and above all love. The overflowing of God’s love born in a manger, our Lord coming to earth, down into darkness as the light the world.

In this sense, Advent is our wake-up call to watch and pray and to see what God is doing for love, and to join in.

Advent love is about the sure and certain hope that God is faithful and that the love that came down at Christmas will never leave us. The love of God is for us always and never against us and will never ever let us go.