Strong spirits: love
Don't let busyness, or stress, or sorrow, or anxiety, or anything else distract you from that truth.
Hope. Peace. Joy. Love. Especially love.
Love is why God created us in the first place. His love for us is undiminished. It first becomes evident in the manger - God choosing to be one with us. It becomes clearer in the life Jesus lived - caring, encouraging, and challenging us to be fully who we are. And it becomes most clear on the cross - Jesus giving his life for us all - the whole lot of us, for the whole dark, broken, twisted world.
Don't forget how much God loves you. Don't let busyness, or stress, or sorrow, or anxiety, or anything else distract you from that reality, that truth. God is love. And he desires most of all to pour that love on and into you and me. He only needs our permission.
May he do just that for you this Christmas season.
Besides serving as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church, Gary Schwerin is the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - to see them all, subscribe to our daily email.
