Advent Love

Advent Love Devotional: Preparing for His Coming

The fourth week of Advent often focuses on love.

Read previous Advent devotionals: Advent Hope, Advent Peace, Advent Joy.

Advent Love

Love is one of those things, like Biblical hope, peace, and joy, that does not depend on what is going on around us. The love demonstrated through the Nativity is a love that showed up because we were broken, sinful, and in need of a Saviour. John 3:16-17 says it this way:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:16-17)

God loves you so much that He came to earth as a child of His own creation. Jesus lived a sinless life and was crucified by His creation as the sacrifice for their (our) sin. Let Advent be a season where you meditate on God's love. Today, make time to sit in His presence and ask Him to help you know His love for you and for the world.

When we see Jesus as the embodiment of love, it transforms us. Our transformation into Christlikeness starts with love. That is why it is listed as the first fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Sometimes Christians live as though we can only hope to work our way towards love: being worthy of God's love, loving God, loving ourselves, and loving others. But, in truth, love is where it all begins. Our worthiness is not determined by our actions but by the One who loved us. That God so loved us that He gave His only Son for us means God has determined that each of us are worthy of that sacrifice. Not after we were made clean by His blood, but before, and even if we never took turned to Him.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesus was for them to be "rooted and grounded in love." Love needs to be our foundation and the soil in which we grow. It is when we "know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge" that we can be "filled with all the fullness of God" (v19). Our experience of God is dependent on our knowledge of His love. God is love. Jesus of the nativity, Jesus on the cross, Jesus risen and triumphant, and Jesus in our hearts is love.

We receive this love and know this love all the more as we love. As we love God, love ourselves, and love others.

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

This verse does not mean we feel love because God loves us; it means we love through action because God loves us. We love by faith. We look into our world, both near and far, and we choose to walk in love because we believe in Jesus. We believe that His arrival was motivated by love. We have faith that because He is risen, He loves us still, and we trust that because He loves us, He will return.

Write the Scriptures: Advent Love

These seven verses will help you reflect on the Advent theme of love:

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:16-17)

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2)

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19-21)

That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19)

Prayer of Love at Advent

Thank You Lord for Your love. You have consistently shown us that You love us and that love is far more than a feeling; it is active and impactful. Help me remember this and trust in Your love as demonstrated through the nativity.

I believe that You love me and You love our world. Remove and heal every hindrance in my heart or understanding that has stopped me from fully receiving and showing Your love this Christmas and beyond. May I be rooted and grounded in Your love. Lord Jesus, love the world through me.

I love You with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength, and I love my neighbour as myself. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Download A Prayer of Love based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Read Advent Hope

Read Advent Peace

Read Advent Joy