Honoring Sacrifice With Faith
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.—John 15:13 (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.
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.—John 15:13 (NIV)
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”—Luke 1:46–47 (NIV)
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.—Psalm 1:3 (NIV)