The Way to the Manger, Family Advent Devotional Sample

Love for the World

Using the word love can be confusing to someone just learning the English language. You may love to eat Christmas cookies, love hanging out with friends, and love your parents. Each of those loves describes a different kind of love. 

The love mentioned in John 3:16 is a sacrificial love. This means God loved you so much, He gave up the most important person in His life - His Son, Jesus. Why would God willingly allow His one and only Son to die? God did this because of His love for you. You see, God loves you so much that He wants you to live forever with Him. But because of sin, people are separated from God. 

God choosing to sacrifice His Son, Jesus, wasn’t just a way to prove His love to you; it was the way for people to be forgiven of sin and reunited with God. When you believe in Jesus and His death and resurrection, you can receive eternal life. This means you can make the decision to spend eternity, that’s forever and ever, in heaven with Jesus. When you understand you are a sinner, believe in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection, and confess Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you experience God’s love. You don’t have to worry or wonder how God feels about you, or if you’ve made it on God’s good list, or if you are one of the people He loves. He has written about His love for you in the Bible over and over. His greatest gift to you is Jesus because of His incredible love for you. 

Dear God, 

Thank You for loving me. You love me so much that You sent Jesus down to earth to be my Savior. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Memory Maker 

1. What is a way you like to show love to others?

2. What is a favorite way you have been shown love?