13. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: LOVE IN CHRIST

Sunday, December 22nd

(For my spiritual reminder this week, I plan to place my hand over my heart and pray, “I hold you in my heart, Jesus.”)

We are now very close to Christmas Day, and Love is the perfect focus for such a time. The love of God shown through Jesus is what brings us our hope, peace, and joy.

Back in January, I chose Cherish as my guiding word for the year. I had intended to be mindful of cherishing and savoring my life, my health, God’s presence, and the blessings of each day. Now as I review the year, I notice that the intended purpose for my word was gradually reversed. More than my efforts to cherish my days, I felt God cherishing me in my days.

I sensed God’s presence cherishing me with every meaning of the word. Merriam Webster defines cherish as to hold dear, to feel or show affection for, to keep or cultivate with care and affection, to harbor in the mind deeply and resolutely. Throughout the year, I felt God dearly holding me through the difficult days, showing affection with many surprising joys, cultivating my spirit with care through lessons and insights from life experiences, and never abandoning me, but harboring me deeply and resolutely.

This Christmas, may we remember and celebrate the Love of God that is with us and cherishes us through all of life. The Love that holds us, helps us, heals us, and hallows us (makes us holy).

I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19 NRSVUE)

Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:14 NRSVUE)

May we feel loved and be love this week.

Photo by Karen