Zephaniah 3:17
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
17 The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
Seffaneia 3:17
Beibl.net
Mae'r ARGLWYDD dy Dduw gyda ti,
fel arwr i dy achub di.
Bydd e wrth ei fodd gyda ti.
Bydd yn dy fwytho gyda'i gariad,
ac yn dathlu a chanu'n llawen am dy fod yn ôl.”
Advent 3
Love- Luke 3:7-18
Foundation
The Third Sunday of Advent we think of Love. Love is the very foundation of the Christmas story, the bedrock of all Jesus ever did and all that we who would follow him are called to.
People flocked from all around to hear John the Baptist, when they heard God’s promised salvation was on the way, they wanted to know, “What do we need to do? Where do we even start?”
John said, “If you have more than you need, then share it. Don’t take more than you should. Don’t cheat people and don’t falsely accuse them either.”
In short, the people wanted to know where to start, John simply said to love their neighbour.
Love is the foundation of all that we are in Christ, love is the foundation of the world.
Jesus spoke of building your faith on a strong foundation, telling people if you build your life around his teachings you’re like a house built on a rock protected by the firm foundation from the wind, rain and storms of life. And what is central to those teachings of Jesus? Love, love of God and loving your neighbour as yourself. Faith on a foundation of Love led Mary to agree to bear the son of God. Faith on a foundation of love led John to the tell people who was coming. So build on that foundation of love, because it is also the foundation of Christmas, for God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Pocket Prayer
We light the 3rd candle of Advent and see love draw closer. We ask the question. What do we do where do we start, how do we build our lives as Advent people as the Love of God dawns?
Heavenly parent God, creator of all that is. You laid the foundations of our world, our life our existence with Love. Your love bringing order out of the chaos, your love shaping the substance of reality to build for us a home.
In your love you desired to walk close with humanity, in your love you sought to protect humanity from the knowledge of the difference between you and us.
When we ignored your guidance and realised our nakedness and vulnerability before your glory, we experienced the consequences but in love you did not abandon us.
You journeyed in love with prophets, priests and kings. Guiding us an blessing us as a race and when needed letting us live in the mess we created before stretching out a loving hand in forgiveness.
We make the same mistakes again and again and in love you continued to reach out, desiring to once again walk with us in love.
And so in love you sent your son to us, to live the life of love that we could not, to show us the foundation of your love under everything and everyone. And then in the firm foundation of that love he stood between us and the consequence that comes from our actions, dying our death that we might live and then rising in love to bring us back to your side.
Love given once and for all so we have that foundation to build back on when things go wrong.
We built on the shifting sands of fortune and fame, sought to fill the space we made within with all but your love. Seeking stability in the fleeting things of this world. Thank you that when everything crumbles we still can return to the foundation of your love.
We put our faith and trust in the words of the world that promise much but deliver little, we ignore the words of love you give us in favour of easy answers. Thank you that when these words evaporate like mist in sunlight we can still return to the foundation of your love.
We plan out our lives mapping out the best way for us to go, to get to where we want to be. We are ignorant of the direction of your Spirit, we choose not to take your hand stretched out to guide us. Thank you that when we get lost having followed our desires, we can still return to the foundation of your love.
Love came down at Christmas, giving foundation to our new beginnings
Baptise us now with your Holy Spirit of love setting our feet upon the solid rock that is your love, that we can prepare and build our welcome for Christ to come, the embodiment of your love.
In the name of Jesus we pray.
Amen.
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