The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Last year my sentiment was “Ugh” for the holiday season. God is still with us, and the Center is in better shape than we were a year ago. God’s provision has been incredible and we are so very blessed to lift up our voices and sing God’s praise.
If your traditions of the season include an Advent wreath then you will be familiar with this Sunday pattern. 5 worship services make up Advent. The first is focused on hope. The second on preparation. The next on joy and the fourth on love. The fifth one is adoration (held on Christmas Eve).
Scripture reveals to us that God loves us because He chooses to love (Deut 7:6-7), because God is loving (1 John 4:8) NOT because God is under some obligation to love. To prove the point God is love, God actively demonstrated it through Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son.
It is our prayer this Christmas season we embrace love when dealing with others. We are all tired of COVID. The mixture of emotions like boredom, loneliness, sadness, frustration, anxiety, fear, anger, and resentment are all real.
These emotions flowing together constitutes pandemic fatigue. We pray for self-awareness of this phenomenon and practice compassion when dealing with other people who are experiencing the same mixture of emotions that are making us irritable.
Go slow and remember love never fails. LOVE NEVER FAILS empowers all of us to express and experience our preeminent sense of humanity. That expression to others is our best Christmas gift we can give this holiday season. Give it away freely, just like God does.
From all of us here at The Dakota Center, join us in the tradition of rejoicing this Christmas season for God is with us. The Dakota Center board and staff wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.
