By Ashlie Miller
Christmastime is a season of showering others with love in many ways – giving gifts, spending quality time with family and friends, giving more hugs than usual, sending greeting cards wrapped in encouragement, and serving by hosting, helping, and assisting. Our love tanks can be full if we are on the receiving end. However, if we are the givers and trying to show this love from within ourselves, it can leave us feeling depleted and exhausted rather than hopeful, peaceful, and joyful.
Genuine love does not originate from within ourselves. It comes from heaven because:
“Love Came Down at Christmas”
Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine,
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and Angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine,
Worship we our Jesus,
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.
(Christina Rosetti)
Jesus Christ, as truly God and truly man, was born for Christmas – even if His birth was not in December. As my Uncle Doug recently said to a young cashier in the checkout line who argued this point, “What matters is that He was born into my heart!” Love naturally manifests within the Godhead because God is love (1 John 4:7-9) and overflows into humanity as the pinnacle of creation – not because God needed us, but because He purposed to share that love for our own sake that we would know that kind of love.
The love of God is too vast for one column or even a robust paper. Here are only a few descriptions that come to mind:
God loves us so much He sent Jesus, his only Son (John 3:16). The Father’s love is abundant (Psalm 86:15), an enduring love (Psalm 136:26), a faithful love (Deuteronomy 7:9), and love that allows us to be called “children of God” (1 John 3:1).
The love of Christ is one from which no temporal, earthly threat can separate us (Romans 8:35-39) and a limitless, unmeasurable love (Ephesians 3:18). He loves us so much that He willingly left the glory and love in heaven to dwell among men, Emmanuel. “All for love’s sake became poor” (from the song “Here I am to Worship”). Because He first loved us, we can begin to love others (1 John 4:19). Our very capacity to love is a gift from God! Because of that gift, as Christians, love should naturally overflow so that we can love one another (1 John 4:11). Our love for one another marks our very identity as disciples and Jesus-followers (John 13:34-35).
If you are a fellow believer, we can walk in love, with love, to love this season with hope, peace, and joy. If you do not know this gift of Jesus and the love of God, I pray you are on the receiving end of abundant love this season.
Ashlie Miller is a pastor’s wife and homeschooling mom residing in Concord, NC. You may reach her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.
