Christmas Eve Devotion

[Pastor Joelle]

Love Came Down at Christmas ,
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.

On this night God shows us what love is. Love is not an emotion. Loe
is not controlling or possessing another person. Love is the giving
of yourself to another. God the Father Almight, Creator of the
universe, came down and gave himself to live among us.
It is only because God came to us in this way that we can love God.
If we only knew God as the Father almighty and Creator of the
universe, we could fear God and worship god. But we could not love
God. We cannot love God only in his Divinity. There is too wide a
divide between divinity and humanity. Martin Luther put it this way,
“Divinity may terrify us, inexpressible majesty will crush us. That
is why Christ took on our humanity, save for sin, that he should not
terrify us, but rather with love and favor he should console and
confirm.

Love came down at Christmas and Love still dwells among us. Love laid
asid power and glory to come and be with us. Love suffered for us,
died for us and rose again for us. Love is victorious over hate, sin
and death. Love will reign forever. Love is here on this night and
will remain with us for all eternity.

Love Divine, all love excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.