Advent Love: O Come All Ye Faithful

Child for us sinners, poor and in a manger;

He would embrace Thee with love and awe.

Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

What manner of love is this?

That would rise from His throne and descend to a life of humility.

That would take on human fragility and need, pain and temptation.

That would choose to be born among those who would seek to destroy Him.

That would come unconditionally – not once, but twice – for those who belong to Him.

Surely, only the perfect love of Christ; manger-born and cross-bound, all with us in mind. What manner of love, indeed.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. - Isaiah 9:2

As Israel walked in darkness, their only light was the knowledge of a coming King who would rescue them into eternity. But He would not come as they imagined, robed in splendor. He would come as a child, poor and in a manger. And why? For them. For us. For sinners.

Not only that, He would come embracing sinners with love! No resentment for His sacrifice nor reluctance to pursue those who had not yet loved Him in return. Completely certain, entirely devoted, without hesitation, He came with open arms to invite and receive us.

God the Father would willingly send His Son; God the Son would willingly take on flesh and bear the cross; God the Spirit would willingly dwell among and within us. All for love.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. - 1 John 3:1a

What, then, is our response? As children of God, we are ambassadors of His perfect love. Advent Love is that which rejoices in the love Christ has lavished on us as Emmanuel (God with us) and, in turn, pours that love back out – on God Himself in gratitude, and on our neighbor as a reflection of Christ.

So come! Let us adore Him and honor Him in our love.

Consider these questions today:

1. Which elements of Christ’s coming help you to see and adore Him?
2. What might it look like to delight in God’s love for you this Advent season as you celebrate His arrival?
3. What it might it look like to seek out others around you as you overflow with God’s love?