When Love Was Born

Mark Schultz sings a song about Christmas called "When Love Was Born."  As we come to the 4th Sunday of Advent I will share these beautiful lyrics.  On Christmas Eve the song will be sung during the service, but I ask you to read and reflect upon these words:

Starlight shines, the night is still, shepherds watching from a hill, I close my eyes, see the night, when love was born.

Perfect child, gently waits, a mother bends to kiss God's face, I close my eyes, and see the night, when love was born.

Angels fill the midnight sky, they sing Hallelujah, He is Christ, our King.

Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, love come down, for you and me, heaven's gift, the Holy Spark, to light the way, inside our hearts.

Bethlehem, through your small door, came to hope we've waited for, the world was changed, forevermore, when love was born.

I close my eyes, and see the night, when love was born.

It all started because God loved/loves us.  "God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting light (John 3:16)."  God first loved us, and that started the unstoppable plan for God to come, live, die and save His people.  "The world was changed, forevermore, when love was born!"  It continued as God invites us to, through belief, enter His kingdom through the small door of a baby born to Mary.  We enter by choosing, loving and believing in that little child.

We light the candle of love.  But the candle is an outward sign of something deeper.  We light it to acknowledge Jesus' New Commandment, to love one another ... Jesus' greatest commandment to love God with our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.

I hope this Sunday, when you hear the music and think about the stories in the songs, you will remember the love that brings us together.  Come for the service at 10 ... one service for the whole congregation.  Stay for food at around 11:20 in the Family Life Center.  Share music, fellowship and love.  For it is the greatest gift of this season ... for God IS love!  

See you Sunday!  Randy