4th Advent Sunday

"Mary responded, 'I am the Lord's servant.  May everything you have said about me come true'. And then the angel left her". 

~Luke 1:26-38~

Conceive: it's not passive, but an active verb.  Its root in Latin means nothing less than "to seize, to take hold of."

Mary takes hold of God...of grace.  She opens her hands wide when the angel appears to her and she says, "yes".   She has become the dwelling place for God.  Inside her womb beats the thrumming LOVE of God.  

Tonight we will light our fourth advent candle on our advent wreath...Love...

The ice covered trees, weighing down the thin branches to meet the snow covered ground cancelled our church service this morning.  The service where we were to reflect on Christ's love.  How deep His love is for us....that He should send His only Son to make a wretch His treasure.  It's almost safe to say that I hate missing church.  But this...maybe God knew we all needed a day to slow...a day to reflect on our own...some may and some may not.  Instead of using this "free time" to prepare even more for the coming Christmas we used it instead to rest.....

yes.....choosing to rest in His love.  This Love that came down and showered us with grace. 

"This Love that gave - but not to those who loved him.....this Love that gave -  but not to those who could give back.....this Love that gave to those who were poor, bankrupt, the enemies...."

Sometimes, for me, it's easier to give than receive...but this is the one gift I do not want to refuse....or miss. Because when Christ came as a baby, love came down to his own people who were waiting for Him and they didn't receive Him...they didn't even recognize Him.  

How do we receive Christ this Christmas? "The way to receive Love isn't to wrap anything up - but to unwrap our hearts". 

Letting your heart love is learning to receive Love.  Because it is his greatest command...to Love One Another....Even though you are empty.  Even though there are stresses...unseen needs...hurt....

You feel you heart can't forgive those words that stung so deep...."your heart can't forget that remark that was made more like a blade and left a mark how many years later.  Your heart can't forgive the step mother, the side joke, the backhand, the over the top family that just gets under  your skin...your heart can't forgive ... THAT'S WHY HE GAVE YOU HIS!"

Because when it's His heart beating in you...you can forgive in a heart beat.  

Can I stress this....?? LOVE...Christ gave it one way...expecting nothing in return...so why can't we? Why can't we love our family like Christ loves us? Why can't we treat our family like Christ treats us? We deserve nothing but we scream "I deserve" with our words and our actions.  We shouldn't measure ourselves to each other but just to Christ.  And what was Christ but love? Do we love? Do you show unconditional love to your family? To your neighbor? To your friend? To your kids or your spouse? Do you forgive in a heart beat or do you hold that grudge for years...and years?  

".....in this world of sin...our Dear Christ enters in...."

He chose to love knowing He may not receive it back.  If that doesn't make you fall to your knees, or make you feel small...I don't know what will.  If you truly hear the story of Love and don't sit in awe of it or allow yourself the time too....you will miss it.  

This advent...will you let Christ fill all of your emptiness with Love? Receive His love and His grace? 

Surrender to Him in Love?

"Take all my cravings for vain recognition, fleshly indulgence, and worldly ambition.  I want so much Lord, to make You the focus, to serve you in secret and never be noticed.  So I surrender all to you."

In our house every time my kids make space for Christ we fill the manger...

 (wooden box with straw...then a wooden baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloth will be put in the manger on Christmas morning)

we have this wooden box and some straw....every time anyone makes space for Christ we put straw in....when we LOVE each other, when we help each other, when kind words come from our mouths...we are preparing for His coming!  We are learning to  Adore Him and Love Him by loving each other...