John 13:34-35
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you,
so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that
you are my disciples, if you love one another.
The God of creation enters into our midst in the personhood of Jesus. It is a profound act of love. It is out of God’s immense love for us and desire to be reconciled with humanity that he sends Jesus to dwell among us, to be present in our midst.
In this hour of advent, we remember Christ’s humble beginnings. He is welcomed by a rabble of animals, in a humble shed or cave, and he is first seen and praised by a few shepherds and their sheep. From the beginning, the trajectory of Jesus’ life is already set. We see Good Friday and Easter looming not far off as we celebrate his birth. His story is one of love. He spends his life and ministry with the outcasts of society, radically telling his disciples a new command to abide by: Love one another. Just as I have loved you. This is how the world will know you belong to my tribe.
As the hour of advent comes to a triumphal culmination at Christmas, may we be ever mindful of the fullness of God’s love for us through the life of Jesus. Like the shepherds, may we be drawn to follow the direction of love, to kneel before the manger in adoration, whispering the name of the One who first loved.
Within the work of CCDA, we see the tireless labor of so many of our members, who are dedicated to living out the love of Jesus in our communities. In this season, we are so mindful of the humble way Jesus entered our midst, of the love that he proclaimed with his arrival. So too should we be reminded of the call set before us to embody the love of Jesus every day.
Consider making a donation to CCDA today. Help us continue to support the work of our members, dedicated to living out the love of Jesus in our communities. Join with us as we seek to carry the love of Jesus out into the world.
In this season of expectation
We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah
Into the bustle of our lives
and the hard to find moments of solitude
We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah
Into our homes and situations
along with friends and families
We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah
Into our hearts, and those often hidden parts of our lives
We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah
For beneath the surface of your story
is an inescapable fact
You entered this world
as vulnerable as any one of us
in order to nail that vulnerability to the cross.
Our fears, our insecurities and our sins
all that can separate us from God
exchanged by your Grace for Love.
We cannot comprehend the reasoning
only marvel that Salvation comes to us
through a baby born in a stable,
and reaches out to a world in need.
In this season of anticipation
We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah
