Advent Devotional: Saturday, December 21, 2024

“Love has come, He never will leave us!

Love is life everlasting and free.

Love is Jesus within and among us.

Love is the peace our hearts are seeking.

Love! Love! Love is the gift of Christmas.

Love! Love! Praise to You, God on high!”

–             Love Has Come – Ken Bible (Carol 110 in Glory to God)

Illustrated by Maddie Slagle (Age 6)

The Festival of Carols was this past Sunday evening. The Festival is one of my favorite nights of the year because the music that fills our Sanctuary during that service is nothing short of beautiful, warm, and inspiring. I am always so emotional before, during, and after this service because it takes months of preparation and rehearsals. It really is incredible to see your hard work come to fruition – and all for the glory of God.

However, this year, I was emotional after the Festival for a different reason. Many of my friends came to support me, our ensembles, and our church on Sunday evening. I have some of the best friends a guy could ask for, especially since they sat through an extremely long service (sorry about that, everyone!). One of my friends who was in attendance was texting me afterwards. As I was laying in my bed in the early hours of the morning, he confided in me about his anxiety in coming to our service that evening. He said, “I was honest with everyone tonight who asked me who I was or how I got there, and I flat out told people that I was actually very on edge being there, but I was there to support my friend. And everyone had the same response: ‘All are welcome.’” He then went on to say, “Well, I think everyone has their own special relationship with God and their own journey and nobody should judge that person’s relationship with God because it’s their journey, not yours. All other churches made me feel like I was doing everything wrong, and I was TOLD I was wrong. Even though we didn’t have a sermon tonight, you can feel a loving aura in that church. I may not agree with everything, and I may be different, and I may be in a different place than you, but I could feel your church always at least keeps the doors open.”

Friends, like me, my friend Kenny is gay. Many of my gay friends have told me that they love me and they support me, but they cannot bring themselves to step foot inside a church ever again. And I get it. The church, as a whole, has not been kind to the persons within our community simply because we don’t love like the majority of the world. I used to plead with God to take away the feelings I had because I wanted to be “normal” and I didn’t want my future career to be placed in jeopardy simply because of the way I felt – a way I have felt for as long as I can remember. However, through many long hours of therapy, prayer, and conversations with loved ones, I came to realize that I am the exact way God made me to be.

My parents faced many pregnancy complications. They often referred to me as their “miracle baby” when I was young because they were almost certain that having children was not in their future. So, then, why would God not make me in God’s image if I was, in fact, a miracle baby? Because God doesn’t make mistakes. The miraculous story of the birth of our Savior is not one of lavishness and regality, but instead one of humbleness and simplicity.

I urge us all to reach out to those who don’t look like us, love like us, think like us, or act like us this Christmas season. Invite them into our church home that is filled with so much love and warmth and has been here for all of us in times of joy, confusion, and sorrow. Like my friend Kenny, so many people need to hear that the church still loves them because, just as our carol states above, “Love is the gift of Christmas.”

Gracious God of Light and Love, On this holy night, we come before You with hearts full of gratitude and joy. We celebrate the birth of Jesus, the embodiment of Your unconditional love for all. In this season of peace, we ask for Your grace to fill the world with love that knows no boundaries, no conditions, and no exclusions.

We pray for the courage to love one another as You love us—freely, fully, and without hesitation. May we embrace each other, not in spite of our differences, but because of them, for they make us unique reflections of Your divine creation.

Lord, in this season, we lift up all those who feel isolated or unloved. May they feel Your warmth surrounding them, and may they be reminded that they are seen, valued, and cherished exactly as they are. Let Your love break down walls of fear and division, replacing them with unity, understanding, and compassion.

We thank You for the beautiful diversity of love in all its forms, and for the reminder that, just as You loved us enough to send Your Son, so too are we called to love with open hearts. In the spirit of Christ’s birth, may our hearts be renewed to reflect that love—not only this Christmas, but in every day of the year. Amen

Zach Bowyer, SMPC Director of Music and Organist

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