The first candle lit is the love candle. Its appropriate that we as a church are coming out of our four week series called LOVED. As we leave the series behind, we move forward in the truth that we are loved. We look forward to what Christ's love means for us personally and for our church corporately.
God didn't just tell us he loves us, he demonstrated it, he proved it. His demonstration was a torturously gory and bloody death of His son Jesus Christ. It was a beautiful mess. Isn't love often that way?
Jesus became a beautiful mess to prove his love for us. He lived a sinless life, had the power to save himself from the cross, yet chose to willingly lay down his life for a bunch of ungrateful, ungodful, undeserving, mean spirited and blatantly incredulous people. Us. Jesus became a beautiful mess for us. Beautiful because he chose to love us, a mess because His love for us meant he had to endure deception, scandal, mockery, excruciating pain and ultimately a torturous death.
The love candle reminds us that God's love for us wasn't easy. It reminds us that God's love for us involved a huge sacrifice. It reminds us that God's love for us was a choice. It reminds us that God's love for us doesn't make sense.
It doesn't make sense because its supernatural. Its beyond what any of us can comprehend.
I'm glad it doesn't make sense, because if it did make sense, it wouldn't be supernatural, it wouldn't be mysterious, it wouldn't be awe inspiring. You are your own beautiful mess and you are loved. God knows all about being a beautiful mess and is calling you to join him in loving other beautiful messes. Will you accept his invitation this advent season?
May you know that you are loved by God and may you carry that love to other people this advent season.
Check back next week for my thoughts on the Hope candle.
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