in
WEEK 4 of ADVENT
{which clearly is a very short week}
Christmas Eve
{this link is to a Jesuit community site, Creighton University,
which is Roman Catholic,
but really good resource on Advent & an Online Retreat}
The following words are from the beginning and the end of their page:
| "The whole purpose of these Advent pages has been to help us find intimacy with God in the midst of our everyday lives. So we have focused on using the background times of our days to create an interior atmosphere that allows us to wait, to hope, to come into contact with our longing and our desire. ... For all of us, the story behind these days can draw us in, and invite us to bring our lives to the mystery of how Jesus came into this world and why. Our best preparation for the Holy Night ahead and the Joyful Morning to follow is for us to reflect upon how He came. He came in the midst of scandal and conflict. He came in poverty. He was rejected before He was born. He was born in a feed trough. He was hunted down. And He grew up in obscurity. He did not shun our world and its poverty and conflict. HE EMBRACED IT. And HE desires to EMBRACE us today, in this day. Right where we are. Right where we are feeling most distant. Right were we are feeling least “religious” or “ready.” * If we let Him come into our hearts to be our Savior these challenging days, we will find ourselves entering the sacred night and morning of Christmas “joyful and triumphant” as never before." |
With the message written in the between (where I have ...), we might have a better grasp of EMBRACING LOVE, because we will read about what "some of us" experience in our lives these days leading to Christmas and these few days that now precede our celebration of Jesus' LOVE on Christmas morn. No greater LOVE!
still there are 5 days in the book
"Come and Behold Him"
TPT, by Brian Simmons
{so I'll have to read all in 3 days or omit the last ones}
because
CHRISTmas Day
is coming
and
I have the
BEST GIFT
to unwrap
and
EMBRACE
(and so can you)
{as the above *boxed words in green share}
LOVE INCARNATE
LOVE DIVINE
JESUS
"WEEK FOUR: LOVE
Day 1 The Faithful, Steadfast, Never-Failing Love of God
(Psalm 89:1–4,19–26)
Day 2 The Hero-God Who Saves the Day (Luke 1:67–79)
Day 3 The Loyal God Who Loves by Remembering Us
(Luke 1:70–75)
Day 4 Have You Heeded the Warning of Jesus’ Paul Revere?
(Luke 1:76–77)
Day 5 Do You Know How Much God Loves You? This Much!
(Luke 1:78–79)"
Brian Simmons, Come and Behold Him (The Passion Translation): Advent Devotional (Kindle Locations 56-67). BroadStreet Publishing |
what more needs to be said then 1 John 4:16-18 & John 3:16:
God is Love
God LOVES us
(even before we love Him)
and that
Perfect love casts out fear
as
Psalm 136:23-25 declares:
... for His steadfast LOVE endures forever...
"...God, I need a hero this Christmas season, and I know of others who need a hero too. I pray that You would be for me and for them what Zechariah prophesied— a mighty Savior, come to rescue me and put my broken, busted world back together again. Amen (day 2)
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, I thank You for the ministry of John, who lovingly prepared the hearts of people to receive You as Savior and King. Help me make room in my life for You, my Savior, this Advent season. Amen. (day 4)
My holy Hero-God, thank You for breaking in upon the world in holy visitation two thousand years ago, all because of Your deep, deep love for us. Amen. (day 5)
Advent Christmas Eve Prayer
Almighty God, You have given Your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon Him, and to be born this day of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made Your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by Your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with You and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen."
|
so
I hope to have another blog post on
EMBRACING JESUS
which in part is
EMBRACING
LOVE
Pray: Father, I realize that Your mission is all about love. You love us so much that You gave us the most precious One in the universe, Your Son Jesus Christ.
This season is the season of giving, but it can also be tainted by selfishness, greed, and despair. Keep us away from the thieves that would steal the message and joy of Christmas. Surely You taught us to love one another!
from Lifeway's devotion
"Living a Life of LOVE!"
