Advent Week Four: Love

This Sunday we will be lighting the fourth candle of advent, the candle of love. As we reflect on what it means to love, ask yourself the following questions: How do you love someone who for you is hard to love? How do you care for someone who has no care for you, and who likely wouldn’t even acknowledge any help you might give them? How can you offer something in kindness to another person knowing full well that they might turn their back on you without so much as a thank you as soon as you give them their gift?

It’s easy to give a gift to someone who will likely give a gift back, or who will at least say thank you for the gift you gave them. Giving to people who are like-minded and who have similar values and morals is easy. But we are called to be sacrificial givers (see Matthew 6:1-4 or 2 Corinthians 9:6-15), and give the way that Jesus gave to us. He loved us so much that He gave His life, and He did this while we were still His enemies (Romans 5)! Some people have chosen to follow Him and accept Him as their Saviour, while others just take the blessings God gives, and offer no thanks to the giver (see Matthew 5:43-48). If we have accepted Jesus as Lord of our life, then we need to give to others as He gave to us, freely and openly to all with no hope of getting anything, not even a thank you, in return. Our joy and blessing and satisfaction comes from serving and loving God first, not from the thanks we might receive from others. Our SundayGathering starts at 6pm – we hope you can join us.

Pastor Mike