Advent Reflections 3 – Coming to Renew Love
1 John 4:16 ‘So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.’ (New Revised Standard Version)
One of my childhood memories of the run up to Christmas is of walking past people’s houses and enjoying seeing the beautiful lights on the Christmas trees and the warm glow that seemed to come from the windows of their homes. They felt like places of love and trust and a good place to be – just like my home was then.
Years later I found myself walking round the streets near my flat, accompanied by my dog, doing a similar thing but this time desperately wishing that something of the light and love and trust they seemed to represent, could be mine too.
For some people this time of the year is wonderful and they cherish every moment; for others it’s hard, painful and it’s enough to just get through it.
This passage from the First letter of John encapsulates for me the message of the Christmas that we anticipate in Advent. The one who comes to us all at Christmas – is the one in whose love we can all trust and believe in and that, if we just open our hearts to the Christ-child, he will come in and abide with us – remain with us, in love, for all time.
And that, I believe, is ‘Good News’!
Author: Rev S Funnell