Celebrate Freedom and Love
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God…—1 Peter 2:16–17 (NIV)
BELOVED LONGTIME GUIDEPOSTS editor and former editor-in-chief Van Varner said, “At last all the candles of our Advent Wreath are burning, and we stand in their glow, contemplating their meaning for us. We see their blazing light, and know that it proclaims the coming of the Great Light, Jesus Christ. We feel the heat of the candle flames, and know the warmth of Jesus in a cold world. We watch the way the wax melts, diminishing each candle, symbolizing the deepest meaning of Christmas: for as these tapers give away their light, they also give away themselves.”
Heavenly Father, help me greet the One who came to give us light with the true spirit of Christmas, which is selfless giving.
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God…—1 Peter 2:16–17 (NIV)
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!—1 John 3:1 (NIV)
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.—John 15:13 (NIV)