The only thing I know about the Second Coming is that it is going to happen because of God's love. God made the universe out of love; the Word shouted all things joyfully into being because of love. The Second Coming, whenever it happens and whatever it means, will also be because of love.

Whatever we give, we have to give out of love. That, I believe, is the nature of God.

In the Gospel story we find five great points of special importance; the birth, the life on earth, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension. In these we have what an old writer has called the process of Jesus Christ; the process by which He became what He is to-day--our glorified King, and our life. In all this life process we must be made like unto Him.

One of the old Church fathers said that we cannot better understand the Trinity than as a revelation of divine love—the Father, the loving One, the Fountain of love; the Son, the beloved one, the Reservoir of love, in whom the love was poured out; and the Spirit, the living love that united both and then overflowed into this world. The Spirit of Pentecost, the Spirit of the Father, and the Spirit of the Son, is love.

God delights to pour His love into us. Why? Because, as I said, God keeps nothing for Himself. From eternity God had His only begotten Son, and the Father gave Him all things, and nothing that God had was kept back. "God is love.

The knowledge of the fatherhood of God, the revelation of His infinite fatherliness in our hearts, and the faith in the infinite love that gives us His Son and His Spirit to make us children is indeed the secret of prayer in spirit and truth. Christ opened this new and living way for us.

Do not be thinking of how little you have to bring God, but of how much He wants to give you.

We don't have to learn to be holy as a hard lesson at school in order to make God think well of us; we are to learn it at home with the Father to help us. God loves you not because you are clever and not because you are good but because He is your Father. The cross of Christ does not make God love us; it is the outcome and measure of His love for us.

This is the love of God; not that He gives us something, but that He gives us some one - a living person - not one or another blessing, but Him in whom is all life and blessing - Jesus Himself.

To me,' said the Princess, 'the choice of life is become less important; I hope hereafter to think only on the choice of eternity.

So you see, Tess, this is really the story about God, the brave, and his love for his bride, you. He gave everything he had for you, including that which he loves the most, Jesus. Not because you do anything great, but because he loves you exactly as you are. That's why he will forgive you, and you can trust him with your whole life and be his friend forever. Isn't this a neat story? I heard it last Sunday night." Tess

Without Christ, the world was a joyless place and any place where he remains unknown and unaccepted is a joyless place. Everything has changed since Christ's birth yet everything remains to be changed as people come to receive the child in faith.