LOVE

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)

As we head into the final week of Advent, we share Rev Dr Peter Hobson's reflection on LOVE, from the Christmas Bowl Advent Study Guide, published by Act for Peace.

"One of the central tenets of the Christian faith is that love is a person, Jesus the messiah, a baby born in a feeding trough who became the salvation of the world. And yet, our faith is horribly diminished if we merely see the birth of Jesus, the incarnation of God’s love, as some sort of historical event, rather than a call to action.

The Christian faith must resist all sentimentalised attempts to keep Jesus as a baby, confined to his manger, cute and cuddly, and instead draw attention to the life and teachings of Christ – a demonstration of God’s love for all the world to see. The love that Jesus teaches is not an emotion or a feeling or even a value or attitude – it is instead a verb. Love is something we do. It is concrete, not abstract (Luke 10:25-37), it is visible not hidden (Luke 8:16-18), it is confronting not comfortable (Matthew 5:39-48).

And so, in response to the teachings of Christ, Act for Peace partners with communities in the developing world. Through the provision of food and agriculture, peace-making, education and employment programmes, people are empowered and equipped to become the gift of God’s love for the world.

How is love defined in your life?

How do others see God’s love for the world in the things you say and do?"

Reflection by Rev Dr Peter Hobson, Uniting Church in Australia. From the Act for Peace Advent study guide - Fourth week of Advent: Love 

Lectionary readings for the fourth week of Advent are:
• Isaiah 7:10-16
• Psalm 80:1-17,17-19
• Romans 1: 1-7
• Matthew 1: 18-25

Photo: Ben Littlejohn, Act for Peace