Love

Love is the reason for Christmas.  Love brought us Christmas.  Love came down at Christmas.

1Corinthians 13:1-8 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecies, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give out all my goods, and if I deliver my body that I be burned, but I do not have love, I am not profited anything. Love has patience, is kind; love is not envious; love is not vain, is not puffed up; does not behave indecently, does not pursue its own things, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth. Love quietly covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Love is unselfish and I am a selfish person at heart.  No matter what, I’m most interested in my own welfare. I find myself functioning that way in every area of my life.  I’m most interested in how much work I’ll have to do to get dinner on the table.  I want to know how little I can get way with in order to help someone else.  I have many tasks to accomplish and very few of them are for me.  They are directed toward my family, immediate and extended.  I fail because I get so wrapped up in the cost that I don’t offer any of it in love.  This is my constant struggle.  I want to learn how to love others and not consider the cost to myself.  I want to lavish God’s love on those around me.  I want to be God’s woman. 

Think of what Jesus did.  He left the riches of heaven to be born in a stable because he loves us.  His father gave his only son so we could be with him forever.  Love truly came down at Christmas.