Advent 24 – LOVE
A Message for the Fourth Sunday in Advent
“On My Honor I will do my best to do my duty to God”.
For more than 100 years, scouts around the world have subscribed to the scout oath requiring they do their best to do their duty to God, country and self.
For more than 30 years, I’ve subscribed to the scout oath as well. Why?
And, what does that have to do with the fourth Sunday in Advent which is “LOVE”?
The 3 points of the scout oath – duty to God, duty to country, duty to self – mirror the commandments of Matthew 22. Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest. He replied, Matthew 22:37-40,
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
To do your duty to God is to love God. Duty to country is to love your neighbor and to do your duty to yourself is to love yourself.
Now, I’ve noticed, sometimes, we get these backwards. Sometimes we love our self more than we love others, or God. Sometimes we love others more than we love our self or God. But the first important duty, is to love God. Then love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
And we can love God because He first loved us.
The Bible teaches not only does God love us but God is the very definition of love.
1 Corinthians 13 is often referred to as the love chapter and, some years ago, I thought it might be interesting to change every occurrence of the word “love”, in this passage, to the word “God”.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not God (love), I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not God (love), I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not God (love), it profits me nothing.”
–1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Go ahead, look up 1 Corinthians 13 and, everywhere you see the word love, replace it with “God’.
Love God. Love neighbor. Love self.
Christmas is when Love came down.
A Prayer for the Fourth Sunday in Advent
Thank You, O God, for Your love that knows no bounds. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate this week. Thank You for coming in to this world, for walking with us, talking with us, teaching us the way we should live our lives. Then, thank You, O Lord, for giving up Your life on the cross for us, for me, that I may inherit eternal life with You. You are an amazing God, and I love You with every ounce of my being. Help me, God, to love others as You love them. And, help me love myself as You love me. Let Your light shine in and through me in this dark world that others may see Your light and be blessed this Christmas season, and beyond. Amen.
