251221 The Arrival: God's Love for When You Feel Unworthy
Devotional
Day 1: God Is Love: Ever-Flowing, Unconditional, Abundant Agape
You are invited to rest in the simplest, deepest truth: God is love. Not love as a mood, but love as His unchanging character, the source of every promise and mercy. His agape runs like Niagara, always coming toward you, not waiting for you to deserve it. Where human love grows thin or transactional, His remains self-giving and constant. Let your heart open to the One whose love does not say "only if," but simply arrives and keeps arriving. Today you can exhale and receive what He already delights to give. [10:49]
1 John 4:8-12 Whoever refuses to love shows they don’t truly know God, because God is love. God made His love visible by sending His unique Son into the world so that we might truly live through Him. Real love isn’t that we loved God first; it’s that He loved us and sent His Son to carry our sins. Dear friends, if He has loved us like this, we should also love one another, and as we do, His life of love takes shape in us.
Reflection: Where do you notice your love becoming transactional this week, and what is one small way you can receive God’s one-way love in that exact place?
Day 2: Promised Love: God’s Zeal Holds You Fast
In seasons that feel like exile—confused, fearful, scattered—God speaks promise, not pep talk. He pledged a Child, a Son, whose wise counsel, mighty power, fatherly care, and peacemaking reign would not end. The weight of that promise never rested on human strength; it rests on God’s zeal, His fierce, faithful devotion to keep what is His. When your grip slips, remember that salvation’s story moves forward because His hand refuses to let go. His love is not a reaction to your performance; it is the engine of His purpose. Take courage: the Holy One is more committed to you than you have ever been to Him. [20:33]
Isaiah 9:6-7 A child will be born for us—a Son given—and true authority will rest on His shoulders. He will be the wise Counselor, the Mighty God, the enduring Father, the Prince who brings wholeness. His rule and peace will expand without limit, restoring David’s throne and establishing justice and what is right forever. The Lord of hosts will accomplish this with passionate determination.
Reflection: What part of your life feels most like exile right now, and how could you acknowledge God’s zeal to hold you there rather than striving to prove yourself?
Day 3: Love Arrives Humbly: Present in Your Ordinary Night
Love did not enter with spectacle but in a manger, on a cold night, to a weary couple who felt overlooked. Outsider shepherds became the first to whisper hope: “A Savior has been born for you,” announcing that you are not forgotten. Because the Word took on flesh, love is not just a promise deferred—it is present with you here and now. Even when you feel like a number on a list, God draws near personally. He knows your road, your fatigue, your questions, and He delights to come close. Let His nearness steady you in the ordinary today. [29:23]
Luke 2:10-14 The messenger said, Don’t fear; I’m announcing joyful news for everyone. Today in David’s town a Rescuer was born for you—the Messiah, the Lord. You’ll find Him wrapped and lying in a feed trough. Suddenly a vast company praised God: Glory to God in the highest, and peace rests on those He favors.
Reflection: Where do you feel most unseen in your daily routines, and how might you welcome Jesus’ quiet presence into that place this week?
Day 4: Loved While Unworthy: He Never Lets Go
We often try to become “enough” before we draw near, but grace meets us while we are still weak, still doubting, still tangled in sin. God does not wait for improvement or polish; He moves toward us when we cannot move toward Him. The cross proves that love runs ahead of our effort and arrives at our worst, not our best. You may rehearse the should‑have and could‑have, but His mercy refuses to rehearse your past. You are held, not by your grip on Him, but by His unwavering grip on you. Let this steady your heart where shame has been loudest. [31:49]
Romans 5:6-8 At just the right time, when we were powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. It’s rare to see someone die even for a good person, though it might happen. God, however, shows His love like this: while we were still sinners, Christ gave His life for us.
Reflection: Identify one memory that still speaks shame over you; what would it look like to answer that memory with the specific truth that Christ loved you at that very point?
Day 5: Made New to Reflect Love Everywhere
In Christ you are not your past; you are made new, reconciled, and entrusted with a message that heals distance. God moves you from merely receiving love to reflecting it, like the moon carrying the sun’s light into the night. This is not forced performance; it is Christ’s life within you overflowing toward homes, neighborhoods, and strained relationships. Even at 2 a.m., love learns to be present without judgment because it has been received without condition. Let your next faithful step be simple: abide in Him and mirror what you’ve been given. The world will see the King’s kindness through ordinary people who know they are loved. [40:21]
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Anyone joined to Christ is a new creation—the old life has gone and a new one has begun. All this starts with God, who through Christ brought us back to Himself and then trusted us with the work of reconciliation. God was in Christ drawing the world to Himself, not keeping a record of our sins. So we speak as His representatives: on Christ’s behalf we urge you—be reconciled to God.
Reflection: Who in your week could benefit from a “2 a.m. friend” kind of presence, and what is one concrete, nonjudgmental way you can show up for them?
Sermon Summary
Advent is the season of arrival—not packages on the porch, but God drawing near in Jesus. I named the deepest truth at the center of all our longing: God is love. Not love as a feeling we try to sustain, but love as God’s very being. Our love so often runs on conditions and convenience; his love is agape—unilateral, ever-flowing, like water that never runs out. When our failures pile up and we feel unworthy—even when we can’t love ourselves—his love doesn’t back away. It rests not on our performance, but on his unchanging character.
Long before Bethlehem, God pledged this love. Isaiah promised a Child whose names would meet our ache: Wonderful Counselor for our confusion, Mighty God for our helplessness, Everlasting Father for our fear of abandonment, Prince of Peace for our fractured relationships. And the assurance behind it all—“the zeal of the Lord”—means the future of love does not hang on our grip on God, but on God’s grip on us. I’ve felt that grip in my own unworthiness—when dreams collapsed and voices said I didn’t belong—yet the song in my soul was, “He’ll never let go.” That is zeal: a holy, relentless resolve to finish what he starts.
Love’s arrival did not headline a palace. It came in a stable and a stone-hewn manger—humble, overlooked, easily dismissed. Shepherds, the unclean and unwanted, became the first to hear: “Unto you is born…a Savior.” Love moved from promise to presence; from “someday” to “here and now.” That manger points forward—not only to the cross, but to an empty tomb. The Child carried our unworthiness to death and rose to make us new. So when Paul says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” he is saying love met us at our worst, not our best. We will never be “enough.” But God is more than enough.
And this love does more than forgive; it recreates. In Christ, the old is gone, the new has come. We are reconciled to God and sent as ambassadors of reconciliation. We don’t manufacture love; we reflect it—like the moon receives and returns the sun’s light. This is why we follow Jesus closely, become “2am friends,” and carry his love into the dark corners of our homes, neighborhoods, and relationships. Love arrives again and again—in the Word, the water, and the table—reminding us: you are not overlooked, not forgotten, not just a number. You are beloved, and he will not let go.
Key Takeaways
1. God is love, not leverage Love is not a tool God uses when we behave; it is his very nature. That means his promises and mercy flow from who he is, not what we’ve earned. When our affection flickers, his remains steady—unmoved by our swings of failure or resolve. Rest in the character of God, not the volatility of your own heart. [10:49]
2. His zeal holds when we slip Israel’s hope wasn’t pinned to their strength but to “the zeal of the Lord.” Zeal is not hype; it’s holy resolve—God’s stubborn commitment to finish what he begins. When your grip weakens, his does not. Your future rests in his hands more than in your stamina. [20:33]
3. Love chooses low and overlooked places God bypassed palaces and chose a manger, a poor couple, and outcast shepherds. Love is not allergic to mess or scarcity; it seeks it out. If you feel invisible or unclean, you are standing where love loves to arrive. Expect God’s nearness in the places others avoid. [27:37]
4. Grace meets us in unworthiness “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” means there is no “minimum” you must achieve to be met by God. Comparison games will always collapse because the standard is perfection—and only Jesus meets it. Let the end of self-salvation become the beginning of real freedom. [30:03]
5. Made new to reconcile others New creation is not self-improvement; it’s God’s work of reconciliation received and then reflected. As ambassadors, we carry a love that doesn’t originate in us but overflows through us. Like the moon with the sun, our role is to face Christ and faithfully reflect what we receive. [36:58]
In Isaiah 9:6-7, what titles are given to the promised Child, and what do those titles say He will do for people?
According to Isaiah 9:7, who guarantees that this promise will actually happen, and how is that stated?
In Romans 5:6-8, how are we described when Christ died for us, and what does God do at “the right time”?
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, what changes for someone who is “in Christ,” and what ministry and message are given to them?
Interpretation questions
“The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this” shifts the weight from human effort to God’s resolve. How might that truth change the way someone thinks about their future when their grip on God feels weak? [22:23]
If Christ died “while we were still sinners,” what does that say about trying to be “enough” before drawing near to God? How could someone tell the difference between godly conviction and paralyzing shame? [30:03]
Love arrived in a manger and was announced to shepherds—poor, unclean, overlooked. What does this reveal about where and among whom God’s love tends to show up? [27:37]
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, reconciliation is both received and then shared. How should that shape the way a believer understands their identity and purpose in everyday relationships? [39:07]
Application questions
God is love—this is His nature, not a mood. Where do you tend to lean on how you feel about God more than on who God is? What would it look like this week to rest in His character when your affection flickers? [10:49]
When your failures pile up, where do you most feel unworthy right now? What is one practical way you will lean into God’s “He never lets go” zeal—perhaps a prayer you’ll pray, a verse you’ll rehearse, or a call you’ll make? [22:50]
God chose a manger and told shepherds first. Identify one “low and overlooked” place in your week (a room at home, a workplace corner, a strained relationship). What is one simple act of presence or service you will do there? [27:37]
Comparison games never deliver peace. Where do you compare yourself spiritually to feel “worthy,” and how will you replace that habit with the truth of Romans 5:8—maybe by confessing it to a friend and receiving prayer? [33:46]
New creation leads to a new assignment: ambassador of reconciliation. Who is one person with whom you can take a first step toward reconciliation this week (a text, an apology, an invitation)? What exact step and when? [39:07]
A “2am friend” loves without keeping score. Who in your circle needs that kind of access right now? What boundary or comfort will you adjust this week to be that kind of friend? [41:27]
Love arrives again and again—in the Word, the water, and the table. Which of these means of grace do you most need to lean into this week, and what concrete plan will you make (day, time, place) to receive it? [43:08]
Sermon Clips
Yet often, we do not always feel this love. More often than not, it's maybe because, not that God has stopped loving us, because God's love is perfect. But it's that our love is inconsistent. We fail more often than we succeed in love. And when we see that failure, we experience that failure, and we even strive to correct it, and we long for more and greater love, but yet we continue to fail, and that failure starts to pile up on us, again and again, because we even hurt the ones we love the most, we begin to wonder, how could a perfect God love someone like me, a sinner?
[00:12:39]
(51 seconds)
#PerfectLoveForImperfect
Advent answers that question, God's love doesn't depend on our ability to love, it rests on who God is. It depends on His unchanging nature, His character, because God is love, and that love is an agape love. Agape love is the Greek word for love that describes God's love. It is a one-way love. In other words, it is ever-flowing. If you've ever been to the Niagara Falls, and you just watch the water keep flowing, and you start to keep falling over, you start to wonder, where does all this water come from? It's the same way of God's love.
[00:14:27]
(42 seconds)
#EverFlowingLove
Suffering is hard enough. But knowing what you lost because of your sin would make it harder. They surely felt unworthy of God's love. In fact, they felt probably some worry that they felt more fearful of his judgment. And what else could happen? What does the prophet say? He doesn't come and say, get your act together so you can earn God's grace and favor and love again. He didn't say, look, we've got to get our stuff together so we can be a blessed nation that's powerful and prosperous. No.
[00:18:28]
(44 seconds)
#GraceNotEarned
Now, during this time, we see zeal. I think maybe an illustration of zeal, a little bit on our human side, is what you see at a Green Bay Packer game when you see guys cheering when there's snow and freezing temperatures and they're shirtless, yelling and screaming for their team. There is some zeal going on or something else. I don't know. But I don't speak for the Wisconsin cheeseheads there. But zeal, God's zeal is not some emotional thing based on the performance of his team, so to speak. God's zeal is based in his love. It's an intense passion, a burning devotion, a jealous commitment, a resentless resolve to protect and keep what belongs to him.
[00:20:46]
(54 seconds)
#FierceDivineLove
God will save them. Israel failed. Kings failed. The nation failed. And God is saying, I will accomplish this. I will not delegate this work. I will not abandon this promise. The son will come. His kingdom will come. His kingdom will endure. It's not going to end. The kingdom that was established among you, although it's scattered and looks hopeless now, is still mighty and powerful. It is not stopped. And this kingdom will come in greater ways. And it will bring righteous. And it will bring justice. And it will prevail by his grace and power and love.
[00:21:40]
(41 seconds)
#KingdomWillPrevail
``So what does that mean? That means for you and I, when we're in these dark places in our lives, well maybe the circumstances or the things that happen in our lives bring us to a dark place where we feel unworthy. We feel incredibly weak. We feel faithless and fearful. Isaiah says, God's promise does not depend on you holding on to him. It depends on him holding on to you. That is his zeal. His zeal is he never lets go. He never lets go.
[00:22:21]
(43 seconds)
#GodNeverLetsGo
You're worthy. Even if you're unworthy. Because God's zeal is for you. God's zeal, His love, us too much to abandon us, to abandon His promise, too fiercely to leave salvation unfinished. And that really applies when salvation is unfinished. It's not just the work of salvation for all the world through Jesus Christ. Yes, that's true. But it's also the work of salvation in your life. Remember the Apostle Paul says, let us continue to work out our salvation, to live it out, that it may be full and complete in us.
[00:24:44]
(41 seconds)
#GodsZealForYou
And the zeal of the Lord keeps coming to us. It doesn't let go. It keeps working in us. It keeps arriving again and again and again. Because the world and Satan tries to destroy it. And God comes and says, look, I'm not letting go. I don't care how great the darkness is. I don't care. I mean, I don't care how you think, how far you are. He's never letting go. He's constantly pursuing. His love is never ending. It's overflowing. It's abundant.
[00:25:44]
(45 seconds)
#UnfailingPursuit
What God promised, He fulfills. Luke 2 tells us how love finally arrives. And it's not in a palace. It's not with armies. It's not with political power. But it's on a lowly manger. I mean, if we're writing a story in our day today, we would write it differently. I mean, we want Him to come maybe as a Marvel Avenger. Jesus would be some action figure with a bunch of disciples. It'd be a great package with superpowers. Or maybe we'd have Jesus come more like in a hallmark romance in a vineyard with a great unending wedding feast. Lots of wine. Yeah, God writes a very humble story.
[00:26:36]
(45 seconds)
#HumbleArrival
Jesus comes in this place in this borrow-feeding trough. I mean, think about it. Poor Mary. She did this huge journey and then has to give birth. And there's no family celebration. It would have been easy, I think, to feel rather lonely, overlooked, perhaps just like a number in the census. Unworthy. and yet, comfort comes from these shepherds, these outsiders. These people that have been rejected even by the church as dirty, unclean sinners. Unworthy people to even come to the temple.
[00:28:08]
(46 seconds)
#ComfortForTheOverlooked
No more wondering if God loves you. No more wondering has God forgotten about you. He's here. See, love is no longer just a promise. Something we look to the future. Love is present. God keeps His word. Mary treasures God's love. That word, the promise of God, took on flesh and dwelt among them. He is the promised one. Love to ride in the present, to be present with you. And love is here now. Even in your darkest, unworthiest places. You are not overlooked. You are not forgotten. You're not just a number. God's love is personal and it is present with you.
[00:29:07]
(52 seconds)
#GodsLoveIsPresent
Did you hear those words Paul uses to describe us? While we were still weak. While we ungodly. While we are sinners. While you're struggling with sin. While you're feeling all sorts of doubts and have questions about who God is and His goodness. While you're feeling maybe the dirtiest, the shame of your sin. Feeling unacceptable, undeserving. But maybe in that time where, man, it's just gotten so bad it gets so helpless. You go, man, even God can't save me. God's love arrives.
[00:30:32]
(53 seconds)
#LoveComesToTheBroken
Most of us love someone when they kind of meet us halfway. God loves us. He arrives to meet us before we can ever lean into it. God's love comes to us when we're flat on our face, when our back is against the wall. His love is there. We're never too far from His love. I love the scripture of David. David says, I was in the pit of darkness. I mean, David sinned greatly. He's in the pit of darkness and yet he says, I can't run from your love, God. I can't hide from your presence. It is here. It's all around me.
[00:31:25]
(36 seconds)
#LoveInThePit
And here's the truth you need to remember and embrace. We will never be enough. Welcome to Hope and Be Church. We love you. But we'll never be enough. If we could be enough, Christ would not have to come. He'd just give us a pep talk. Look, you're good. Come on, pick it up. Keep working on it. Get over this. You do not have to be good enough for Christ to come to you now.
[00:32:48]
(38 seconds)
#LovedNotByPerformance
And we do that in the Christian faith. We think, well, you know, God would just love me and I would really experience God's love if I was worthy, more mature. Maybe I was a pastor or superstar pastor. Then I could feel His worthy. And under that thought is just this belief that God loves that person more than you because of what they do. And that's false. God loves all of us the same. And all of us are the same. We're in the same boat. We are all unworthy of His love. We are never, never good enough. But God is great enough. His love is greater than unworthiness. And He arrives and He comes to us.
[00:34:16]
(50 seconds)
#EqualInGodsLove
This is the child who ushers in the kingdom of God. This is the child who brings in the love of God and the love of God that's going to go to a cross for you and I to die for us to fulfill that word to do the ultimate cost of love that he can free us from all death and destruction and the power of the devil.
[00:36:14]
(20 seconds)
#LoveThatGivesLife
God makes us new. The old has gone. We have been reconciled. God has paid the price of our sin in full in Jesus. It is total sti. Paid in full. Our debt of sin is paid. We have been forgiven to the point that we are made new. The old is gone. It's forgiven. It's forgotten. You are not your past. You are not your worst moment. You are new and this is what? By your work? No. It's by God's love. This is verse 18. It says all this is from God.
[00:37:32]
(46 seconds)
#MadeNewByGrace
So it raises the question why are you still holding to the old? Why do you let the old define you? Affect you? We may feel unworthy but God does not. He's worthy. He's worthy of a love that dies for you and I. And that he's made us new. And not only that is that we're not unfit for his work. Your past doesn't disqualify you from God entrusting you with his love.
[00:38:20]
(47 seconds)
#NotDefinedByPast
Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun the sun goes away you can't see the sun but yet the moon lights up not because it has a light of its own because it reflects the light from the sun you and I do not have our own light but we have the light of Christ which we are to reflect to this world.
[00:41:27]
(20 seconds)
#ReflectChristsLight
See Advent declares love has arrived not for the worthy not for the perfect but for those not for those who have it all together but for sinners for the weak for those who feel unworthy so when you feel unworthy remember God's love arrives anyway it arrives because he promised it and it comes in the person of Jesus and it's present and it's persistent it never lets go.
[00:43:27]
(34 seconds)
#LoveArrivesAnyway
