Love!

 

 I got to thinking how we use some words that can actually cover all sorts of things. For instance, take the word ‘Love’ and how we use it. So far this Advent we have looked at ‘Hope’, ‘Peace’ and ‘Joy’ and now we look at this fourth aspect of the season, ‘Love’.
 
In our language we use the word love to describe our love for things like I love my home, I love my job, I love my dog, I love my new dress, hat or shoes. Maybe you may even say, I love my football team or I love my car. With our families we say, I love you to your child or to your spouse. But as you appreciate, the one word seems to cover everything from your love of chocolate to the love of a pet and all things in between.
 
In the Greek there about eight different words to cover our one word for love. There is ‘Eros’ a passionate love, ‘Philia’ a brotherly love, ‘Storgé’ a natural affection as between parents and children, but the one word that says it all is ‘Agape’ (pronounced Ah-gah-pay). You see this is the Greek term for a profound, selfless and unconditional love representing love in its highest form. It is a sacrificial love and an enduring love, that represents God’s love for humanity and is shown in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
 
So it is relevant at Advent to know and understand the depth of God’s love for you and me, wrapped up in the coming of Jesus, that first Christmas. The love of God that sent Jesus, as John 3:16 says, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life”.
 
This is pure love; God doesn’t wait for us to be perfect before He loves us. He loves us first and it doesn’t fail when we fail or mess up. It is the love that sent Jesus to the cross, because God chooses to love you no matter what. If you wonder what the heart of Christmas is, it has to be love, Agape love, that we are called to live out and to love others selflessly without conditions, as God has poured out His love on you and me. Christmas is that special!