Fourth Sunday of Advent: Love

The fourth Sunday of Advent focuses on love. Love is an extremely tangled up concept in our culture. In our culture love is a fleeting emotion which is full of conditions and can change at a moment's notice. Yet, that is not how love is demonstrated in Scripture. The Psalmist cries out to God in Psalm 51 when he says:

"Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin!"

The Hebrew word here in Psalm 51 which is translated steadfast love has a meaning of favor and covenant loyalty. It is because of His love for His people and His loyalty to the covenant that He made with them that He gave up His only son as the atoning sacrifice. It is because of His love that He has abundant mercy which can blot out our transgressions and sins. It is because of His love that we have been saved. Ultimately love is a part of the character of God and cannot be separated from Him.

Thus, when we focus on love this coming week, let us not focus on a vague emotion, but on the powerful force that was demonstrated when the Creator of the universe gave up His only son to be born as an infant, when Jesus emptied Himself and dwelt among us, and when He ultimately gave up His life so that we may be washed of our inequities and cleansed from sin.

Humans have the capacity to love because we were created by a loving God. In this Advent season, let us seriously consider the impossible depths of His love for us. Additionally, may we consider the beautiful gift He has given us in our capacity to love others just as He loves us.