Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
Dec. 6, 2011

Daily Ornament!
A Week of Love: Tuesday, Day Ten of Advent

“Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your justice like the great deep. O Lord, You preserve both man and beast. How priceless is Your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.” – Psalm 36:5-7 Gospel Reading: Matthew 22:34-46

When it comes to the secular music scene the theme of “love” is the predominant winner! If you were to do a word search by inserting the word love as a part of the title you will find thousands of songs from Country to Rock, Jazz and Pop.
Several songs in particular come to my mind—songs that as a child I heard numerous times listening to the radio. Two of them were from the same artist, her only two songs to make the charts but both with the same general theme. See if you recognize either of them or the person who wrote/co-wrote/sang them:

(Song One) Think of your fellow man, Lend him a helping hand Put a little love in your heart You see it's getting late, Oh please don't hesitate Put a little love in your heart And the world will be a better place; And the world will be a better place For you and me; You just wait and see
(Song Two) What the world needs now, Is love, sweet love It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now, is love, sweet love No not just for some but for everyone
The titles to these songs should be easy to identify but do you remember the name of the artist who sang them? If so, send me a note. Answer will be in tomorrow’s message. What the secular world has attempted to portray and the message convey—God’s Word has been doing for centuries. When you add God or Jesus to the word love, you will get the full and complete meaning of the word.
Advent is totally and completely about love!! The love of God for a world and a people that had lost their way. There is no way to escape that especially when you think of this verse:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

The Gospel reading for today adds another dimension to love—the love we are to have to and for the One who gave His all for us. In return, we are asked to give our all back to Him.
If you want a song that fits this theme, look no further than this one. One that is sung by both young and old alike. Its words are simple but it’s meaning is timeless. Why don’t you sing it now?

Jesus Loves Me, This I Know! For the Bible Tells Me So! Little Ones to Him Belong—They are Weak, but He is Strong! Yes, Jesus Loves Me! Yes, Jesus Loves Me! Yes, Jesus Loves Me! The Bible Tells Me So!
Pastor J. T. Carnell