For many of us, Christmas can be an anxious time. We have full family calendars. There’s always another holiday party to attend and another kids’ Christmas program to endure. The house needs to be cleaned and decorated. The in-laws are coming.
On top of that, you’ve added 10 more people to your Christmas gift list. You’re drinking too much caffeine and eating too many sugar cookies. As you look out the window, it’s snowing again. You have to run out to scrap off your car window shield once more. And the list goes on and on.
But for others, Christmas can be a lonely time. You may be living far away from relatives or experiencing a death in the family. Whatever is your situation, it’s doubtless that the time is right for a breather. In fact, it’s overdue. That’s why we’re bringing you Advent Week 2.
Reflect on God’s Love This Season
This Advent, we’re remembering that Jesus came to earth to tell us of God’s love. Christmas is Love. It’s when God became involved with us in a very real way. It was history in the making.
God gave humankind the amazing privilege to live and walk with His Son for more than 30 years on this earth. Before Jesus left His disciples, He encouraged them with these words: “I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love” (John 15:9).
Experience God’s Tidings of Comfort and Joy
Even if you’re not experiencing “silent night, holy night and all is calm, all is bright” right now, you can still direct your thoughts to a little baby boy in a manager and all the promises that accompanied His birth.
“Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day; To save us all from Satan’s pow’r when we were gone astray.”
Eventually, as you reflect and meditate on this, you’ll experience a flood of emotion – comfort and joy – that comes from knowing our awesome God. “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NLT).
This second week in Advent, December 8 to 14, our theme is love. Take a look at the video below with Rebecca Dielschneider, Providence’s Assistant Professor of Biology, as she reflects on the Christmas story and the beauty of God’s love to us all.
