Seasons Greetings to all the readers.
This time of the year is always quite special. The whole atmosphere changes and it’s because of LOVE. The love that people want to express and share at this time of the year is far greater than what we feel and express at any other time even more than during Valentine’s celebrations.
That is because this is the time when we celebrate Christmas. Christmas is about love more than anything else. The Bible tells us “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life.”
God loved, and still loves, the world that He gave a part of himself to redeem us back into fellowship with Him. For the corruption of sin from Adam and Eve has separated all mankind from the eternal fellowship prepared for us.
It is not the planet earth that God is so in love with but it is you and I who dwell on the earth.
How great is the Father’s love for us? the Lord sent part of himself to be born in the earth to pay the ultimate sin penalty for all mankind.
He sent his word through an angel and sent His spirit to plant life within the womb of a virgin named Mary.
In the same way he breathed life into Adam by his spirit, He also gave life to the second Adam by His spirit. This second Adam is called Jesus. He is saviour. He is Emmanuel which means God with us.
He left His throne to be born of a virgin, by His spirit, to accomplish and complete the greatest love mission of all.
Christmas is about love. Not just because that was the motivation behind God’s salvation mission but because He is LOVE. Love is who He is. It is not a feeling or an emotion or a sentiment.
The sentiments of the Love that we have are fragments or deposits of God in us. In Galatians 5:22 the word outlines for us the character and essence of God’s spirit and the very first mentioned is love.
So, Christmas is not just about God loving us but it is about us acknowledging HIM for He is Love. It is about us recognizing that He is with us.
Though our expression and feelings of love pale in comparison to the agape love of God; I am sure it is a time when heaven still rejoices as it did centuries ago when the skies burst open with the songs of angels from heaven saying “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favour!”

This, dear friends, is my prayer for you today.
As we enjoy the favour of God, the gift of breath in our lungs and the gift of friends and family, let’s recognize more than anything… We need more Love, more God, more Jesus. He is Christ the Lord.
So don’t take the Christ out of Christmas because we need more Christ.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Pastor Julianna Daniel
www.hopfanqc.ca