Love Came Down
The irony of road rage is striking during the Christmas season. The best and worst of humanity come together at a four-way stop, with a mixture of heartfelt generosity filling our trunks and impatient angst filling our mouths as we scold drivers to get out of our way so we can make it to the next store and continue to pour out our love in gift giving for family and friends. “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh” (Galatians 5:17). We may wrestle with this incongruity in our human nature, but we reflect in this season on our Savior who showed no dichotomy in His love for us. From the cradle to the cross, Jesus’ life shows us what perfect love looks like.
“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9–10)
God’s love for us was certainly demonstrated throughout the Old Testament, however it wasn’t truly made clear until Jesus Christ was born. The term “made manifest” here literally means “was brought to light.” God sent Jesus into the world to die, so that we might live. Everywhere in between Bethlehem and Calvary, Jesus demonstrated God’s love perfectly through His miracles, His service, His ministry, His rebukes, His teachings, and His words. Every single thing we read about Jesus is a perfect demonstration of the love of God the Father, which was made known to us in the flesh when Jesus came to earth.
The amazing news is that this love God has for us, is completely independent of our own works. We can never love God the way He loves us. And praise Him that His love is based on His unchanging character and not our own fickle nature.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17
As the seasons of our lives change, we can rest in the fact that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. While we may falter in our love for one another, and for God, in Christ we see that God’s love for us is steady and true through the ages. We invite you to join us this advent as we consider the perfect, unchanging love of God.
“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9–10)
God’s love for us was certainly demonstrated throughout the Old Testament, however it wasn’t truly made clear until Jesus Christ was born. The term “made manifest” here literally means “was brought to light.” God sent Jesus into the world to die, so that we might live. Everywhere in between Bethlehem and Calvary, Jesus demonstrated God’s love perfectly through His miracles, His service, His ministry, His rebukes, His teachings, and His words. Every single thing we read about Jesus is a perfect demonstration of the love of God the Father, which was made known to us in the flesh when Jesus came to earth.
The amazing news is that this love God has for us, is completely independent of our own works. We can never love God the way He loves us. And praise Him that His love is based on His unchanging character and not our own fickle nature.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17
As the seasons of our lives change, we can rest in the fact that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. While we may falter in our love for one another, and for God, in Christ we see that God’s love for us is steady and true through the ages. We invite you to join us this advent as we consider the perfect, unchanging love of God.
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