Advent 2020 Reflection – Day Nine

Day Nine – 2 John 5-6

⁵ And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. ⁶ And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

Reflection

There are of course many kinds of love and I am sure you have heard many sermons over the year on each of these.

In our passage today John speaks of love as obeying God’s commandments. He sees love not merely as an emotion, but as love which requires actions based on God’s call and his words of truth. The Greek word used is agape, this type of love is a selfless focus on other people. The best example of this kind of love is Jesus, who showed it through his life and actions. It includes loving one another as well as walking in obedience to God’s call to us.

John emphasises that this command to love, is one that we and his readers should already be familiar with. It is not optional; it is a command which comes from Jesus himself. We are called to “walk in it” or obey that command in every aspect of our lives. What a place the world would be if everyone loved to this extent and thought of others before themselves.

As we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus we also prepare our hearts to love without limits.

Silence

In our quiet time today we think of those we love and perhaps those we find it hard to love.

Carol

There was not much time taken to choose my carol for today. It is Love came down at Christmas. Wonderful simple words but with such deep meaning exquisitely expressed. The greatest example of love set by our Saviour Jesus.
Love for plea and gift and sign.

Love came down at Christmas – Christina Georgia Rossetti Singing the Faith: 210

1 Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, Love divine;
Love was born at Christmas;
star and angels gave the sign.

2 Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, Love divine;
worship we our Jesus,
but wherewith for sacred sign?

3 Love shall be our token;
love be yours and love be mine;
love to God and all the world,
love for plea and gift and sign.

Prayer

Loving God we declare our desire to live and walk in obedience to Your commandments, because we love you. We pray that love would guide all of our thoughts, words and actions. We thank you that you pour Your love into me, filling me to overflowing so that I will pour love into those around me.

We ask that you will lead us to the people who need Your love the most, use each one of us to pour into them the love you have given us. Thank you for your Word, which teaches us how to love you, how to love others, and how to love ourselves. May we never forget or miss an opportunity to walk in love. Amen

Copyrights

All images today are from Pixabay.com free for commercial use no attribution.

Bible passage from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Love came down at Christmas – Christina Georgina Rossetti – Public Domain

Reflection and Prayers: Chris Hancock

Hatfield Road Methodist Church CCLI: 4955 Streaming: 989812