Dear Kaleid Ladies,
This week we lit the Advent candle for Love.
Love has been intense this year. Loving our neighbor by keeping our distance. Loving our children by keeping them home. Loving ourselves by keeping a rhythm. Loving God by keeping grateful hearts.
This enduring, patient kind of love that we have fought for every day is beautiful, because it is in the very pattern of the God-love that Jesus embodied. It is faithful, pursuant, ordinary, miraculous love.
Advent reminds us that our all-powerful God is also, fundamentally, the God who is love.
Fleming Rutledge says, “there is nothing more frightening than power when you don’t know if it is against you or for you.” (p. 368)
Every time an angel shows up to announce God at work, the preliminary word is “fear not,” because the all-powerful God is the God of love.
Zacharias, fear not...the all-powerful God of love has heard your prayer! (Luke 1:13)
Mary, fear not...the all-powerful God of love favors you! (Luke 1:30)
Joseph, fear not...the all-powerful God of love is the father of your son! (Matthew 1:20)
Shepherds, fear not...the all-powerful God of love has news of great joy. Salvation for everyone--you included! (Luke 2:10)
2020 has shown us that there are powerful, hard forces at work in the world and inside of us. Advent shows us that the power of God is the power of Love. God-for-us comes as God-with-us.
Fear not, sisters.
“From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace; as the Law was given through Moses, so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known.” - John 1:16-18 (CEB)
As you receive the gift of Jesus this week, may you receive this gift as the love of an all powerful God.
May your fears dissolve.
May your courage rise.
May your faith grow.
May your heart expand by the power of the Love who made you, knows you, sees you, and desires to make Love known to you.
Love has come.
Merry Christmas!
We love you,
The Kaleid Team
P.S. Thanks to those of you who have given this week! We are grateful! If you’d like to participate in the funding of Kaleid 2021, you can do so here.
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