Theme: Love
Candle Color: Purple or Blue
Significance: This candle symbolizes the love of God made manifest through the birth of Jesus.
Candle Lighting Directions: Light the fourth candle and meditate on the depth of God’s love. Consider how rest can be an act of love toward yourself and others.
Advent, we light the fourth candle, symbolizing love. Love is the foundation of our faith and the very essence of God’s nature. The birth of Jesus is the ultimate demonstration of divine love—a love so vast it moved God to dwell among us. For Black and BIPOC communities, the story of Advent also resonates with the love that sustains and strengthens through struggle and hope. This week, we reflect on how resting in God’s love can nurture us and empower us to love ourselves and others.
Scripture Study
1 John 4:9-11: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”God’s love is not conditional on what we do—it is a gift freely given through Jesus.
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”This verse reminds us that Jesus’ birth is rooted in God’s love for all humanity—a love that brings life and renewal.
Guided Prayer
“God of Love, thank You for sending Jesus as the ultimate expression of Your care for us. Teach us to rest in the assurance of Your love and to share that love with others. May we reflect Your light and grace in all we do. Amen.”
Rest Reflection
Rest is an act of love—both for ourselves and for others. When we rest, we honor the truth that we are loved by God, not for what we produce or achieve, but simply for who we are. For communities burdened by the demands of a weary world, rest is a way to reclaim dignity and embrace God’s care.
Practice: Take time this week to rest as an act of self-love. Whether it’s setting aside an hour for a relaxing activity or simply pausing to breathe deeply, let your rest remind you of God’s unconditional love for you.
Journal Prompt
How do you experience God’s love in your life?
In what ways can you rest as a way to reflect that love to yourself?
How can you show God’s love to others this week?
Contemplative Art Prompt
Create art that symbolizes love. Use warm, soothing colors like reds, pinks, or golds to depict an image of care and connection. This could be a heart, hands holding one another, or something personal that represents love to you.
Hymn Suggestions
Traditional Hymn: O Holy Night—A hymn celebrating the divine love revealed in the birth of Christ.
African American Hymn: Love Lifted Me—A song that celebrates the transformative power of God’s love.
Building Family Traditions
Love is a gift that grows when it is shared. Here are some ways to cultivate love as a family:
Candle Lighting Ritual: Gather as a family to light the fourth candle. Share ways you’ve experienced God’s love this season and reflect on how you can show love to one another. End with a prayer of gratitude for God’s love.
Acts of Love: As a family, choose one act of love to do together this week. This could be delivering a meal to a neighbor, writing cards to friends, or volunteering for a local organization.
Love Notes: Write love notes to each family member, expressing appreciation and care. Exchange them during a family gathering as a reminder of the love that binds you.
Reflection and Invitation
Love is the heart of the Advent season. It is the reason Jesus came to dwell among us, bringing hope, peace, and joy into our lives. As we rest in God’s love this week, let’s also extend that love to ourselves and others, becoming vessels of His light and grace in the world.
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