The Gift that keeps on giving

Advent 2011 Day 21

1 John 4:7-19
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his spirit.
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We love him, because he first loved us.

1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Today is the last day of the joy week. And what better verses to symbolize joy than verses about the coming of Christ, and God's love for us.
We sing Joy to the World, and talk about Christmas being the season of Joy. But it's usually more of a season of stress than anything. But why is it when Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and God is love? Perhaps if we truly shared those things, it would be a better season.
1 John 4:7 says that everyone that loves, knows God. How much do you really know God if you aren't loving people?
God sent Jesus to earth so that through him, we would be able to know God. We get excited about Christmas because of all the cool presents we're gonna get, but forget about the amazing present we already got.
This time of year, you always hear the words 'the gift that keeps on giving'. Usually, that means something like a coffee of the month club, or something along those lines. But those are nothing compared to our gift that keeps on giving. Through Jesus, we have joy and peace. We have salvation, and we have everything that we need. That is the most amazing gift that keeps on giving.