Fields United Methodist Church

Side by Side with Jesus.                                                  Pastor Tom Joyce

December 14, 2020

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you will call him Jesus, for he will save people from their sins.”  Matthew 1:20-21

This Advent season has been truly a blessed time of God being with us in our preparations to celebrate Jesus’ birthday.  Since the pandemic has limited how we have traditionally celebrated the birth of our Savior, I find myself reflecting back on Christmases past, how God showered love upon the world in a myriad of ways. I think of all that my mom did to prepare our home growing up, the meals, the gifts; every part of our Christmas celebrations had her stamp of love on them. As I think of a mother’s love, I can’t help but try to fathom the love of God for us, especially now. God’s stamp of love has been evident throughout salvation history and especially in the empty tomb of Jesus.  Think for a moment what God has done for you. Now think again to the extent God has gone to shower love upon you. The world came to know God’s love through Jesus, who came to “save people from their sins.” God could have just let you handle life’s challenges, could have let you alone to figure out how to use all that Jesus offered. Yet God so loves you that Jesus was sent so that you may celebrate new life. Jesus did not proclaim salvation from the safety of his own home, nor did he say one thing and do something totally different. Jesus was born of Mary, for you. Suffered and died on a cross, for you. And on the third day rose, for you.  The love of God through Jesus became one of us, filled with hope, dreams, disappointments, heartache and loss. God loves you so much that God could just not leave you alone; God has even promised to be with you, now even to the end of time.  Christmas is all about the stamp of God’s love through the birth of Jesus.  Traditions may be a bit different this season, but God’s love never changes; it is always there and is waiting for you to slow down long enough to draw closer to God, to know you have a loving God that has called you by name, loves and cherishes you and has promised to do so forever. The gift of God’s love has been offered to you, all you need to do is accept it.

Rev. Tom Joyce