Advent Love:
Don't Forget Your Gift to Christ This Christmas

Advent Love:
Don't Forget Your Gift to Christ This Christmas

Christmas is a season of giving, rooted in love. It's a time when we show our care for family and friends by choosing gifts that express how much they mean to us. But amidst the wrapping and celebrating, let's pause to consider this: have we prepared a gift for the One whose love is the reason for the season?

Advent is a time to reflect on God's extraordinary love for us. John 3:16 reminds us, "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." Christmas is the culmination of that love - God stepping into our world, becoming one of us, to save us.

The wise men responded to Christ's arrival with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, acts of worship born out of love and reverence. Their generosity reminds us that love gives - it always gives. This Advent season, as we celebrate God's gift of love in Jesus, we too have an opportunity to respond with a gift of love to Him.

One way we can do this is by supporting the ministry of our local church. The church is Christ's body, carrying His love into the world. It's where people are welcomed, nurtured, and transformed by His grace. From sharing the gospel to feeding the hungry, from discipling believers to comforting the hurting, your local church reflects God's love in action. And your financial gift is part of making that happen.

Giving to the church isn't just about meeting practical needs; it's an act of worship and a reflection of your love for Christ. It's a way of saying, "Lord, I love You because You first loved me."

This Christmas, as you plan your gifts for others, set aside a gift for Christ. Whether it's a one-time donation or a commitment to give regularly in the year ahead, your gift will help the church continue to share His love with your community and beyond.

Your financial gift helps keep the lights on, equips ministries to flourish, and enables the church to continue its mission of reaching out to a world in need of hope. But more than meeting practical needs, giving is an act of worship. It's a way of saying, "Jesus, I honour You with what I have, because You are worthy."

Let this Advent season be marked by love - not only the love we receive from God but the love we express through our giving. After all, Christmas is about the greatest love of all: God's gift of His Son to us.

Happy Christmas, and may your giving reflect the depth of His love in your heart!