So Loved.
Looking back, I'm amazed at my journey to this place. It's easy to look at small-town, rural Kansas as unimportant, dull, lesser. But this place...starting with my time at Tabor College...has been anything but unimportant, dull and lesser. It's the place God started softening me and drawing me into His Word. Before I would have glossed over this week's Advent reading as something I would believe for others, but not myself.
How wrong I was. These words are for whosoever believes. And that's me!
How wrong I was. These words are for whosoever believes. And that's me!
So loved.
In this manner of intense feeling.
In way of deep affection.
Agapao.
So loved.
By Divine will in deliberate choice.
Without cause except in the nature of God Himself.
Entirely incomprehensible.
So loved.
The reason of Christmas.
The reason of the divine meeting the flesh.
The reason of obedience.
So loved.
A dearly loved Son who brings the Father great joy.
A dearly loved Son for a dearly loved people.
A dearly loved son as a holy sacrifice so a dearly loved people could be made holy by His truth.
So loved.
A love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
So loved.
Jesus spoke, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.”
A love to abide in.
A love to remain in.
A love that whoever believes gains life everlasting.
So loved.
Heavenly Father, we choose to believe we are so loved. Sometimes it feels incomprehensible. But your word says it, and today we stand on that promise. In awe, we thank you for your dearly loved son who came for a dearly loved people. May our hearts remain full of the wonder of Christ’s sacrifice long after this Christmas season ends. Amen.
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I had the privilege of writing the Advent readings for my church this year. Over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas, I will post each one. I pray that they will, in some way, add to the wonder of your Christmas season.
With love,
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