Advent - L - Love

"L" - "Love" December 11, 2011 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) If you were asked to give a one word definition for love, what would it be? We use the word “love” very frivolously. We say we love chocolate pie; or we love this beautiful day, or we love your new dress or tie. I have thought about this question a lot and have come to the conclusion my answer to this question would be, “give”. I believe the preface scripture makes it clear – to love is to give. We know that God is love, that’s His essence. “God so loved the world that He gave…” God’s love went to the “nth” degree when He gave His best, the summon bonum of heaven – He gave of Himself - His Son. That is LOVE!!


The Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is incomprehensible. We must just accept it as being true reality just because God said it. God's Son is the second person of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). He is eternal, just like the Father. His DNA (essence) is exactly like the father's, In fact, when He was here on earth Jesus said, "I and the Father are One" (John 10:30). If we could understand everything about God, He wouldn’t be God, we would. I can’t comprehend how God could desire to have man, His creation, to fellowship with Him, to live our life in and through His love and strength. He desires for us to talk with Him and to love Him with all our hearts. I truly cannot fathom how God “so loved the world that He gave His only Son,” who was part of Him. God’s love is incomprehensible. God gave up, for a time, the second part of the Trinity, His Son, because of His incomprehensible love for us. Can we reject such love?
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Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all! (Isaac Watts)
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Such Love
C. Bishop

That God should love a sinner such as I, should yearn to change my sorrow into bliss,
Nor rest till He had planned to bring me nigh, How wonderful is love like this!

That Christ should join so freely in the scheme, although it meant His death on Calvary.
Did ever human tongue find nobler theme than love divine that ransomed me?

That for a willful outcast such as I, the Father planned, the Savior bled and died;
Redemption for a worthless slave to buy, who long had law and grace defied.

And now He takes me to His heart – a son, He asks me not to fill a servant’s place.
The “far off country” wanderings all are done. Wide open are His arms of grace. Such love, such wondrous love, Such love, such wondrous love, That God should love a sinner such as I, How wonderful is love like this