Fourth Sunday of Advent Prayer (Gaudete Sunday): Love Candle

The fourth Sunday of Advent in 2024 will be on December 22nd. The theme of Advent's fourth Sunday is the love that God has for mankind to become man and save us from death and sin.

The Advent wreath has four candles - one is lit each Sunday of the four weeks of Advent. Each candle represents a new focus and time of reflection. The fourth week of Advent is the candle of love. Also known as the "angel candle," it is in this fourth week of Advent that we reflect on the ultimate gift of love - Jesus Christ. Jesus is our true example of love, and He came to teach us to love God and others.

Use these Scriptures and prayer for the fourth week of Advent to reflect on the promise of unconditional love available only through and because of Jesus Christ.

Fourth Sunday of Advent Prayer -  Love

Heavenly Father, The whole meaning of Christmas can be explained in one little four-letter word…LOVE. You sent your gift of pure love to us that first Christmas. Love descended from heaven to be born of a virgin. Love lay in the scratchy hay of a manger in a meager barn in Bethlehem. All of your love, God, was robed in the delicate skin of a baby and wrapped in swaddling clothes. This final week of Advent, help us to reflect on the magnitude of love that was made manifest in Jesus.

Your word became flesh and you made your dwelling among us when Jesus was born. You set aside all of the glory and splendor of heaven and chose the most humble way to enter into your kingdom. Beneath the stars, surrounded by all of the hosts of heaven, Love came. Welcomed by an earthly mother and father, shepherds and wise men, Love came. 

You are King and King and Lord of Lords, Messiah, and Ruler of All, yet you came not as a lion but as a lamb. You came as an innocent baby whose purpose was to walk this earth in complete love and then to sacrificially give his life as an atonement for the sins of His children. Emmanuel. God with us. Love in the form of a man.

That was your plan. From beginning to end, you knew every minute of Jesus' life. You knew that the cross of Calvary was waiting for Jesus, yet you still sent your only Son so that our sin debt could be paid and we could walk blameless because of the shed blood of Jesus.

There is no greater gift than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends. You willingly gave the gift of your life because of your love. Your righteous blood covered our sin. You redeem and restore us when we confess you as Lord and Savior of our life. At that moment you give us the gift of your love for all eternity. We receive grace upon grace and mercy upon mercy in that moment.

The greatest gift of all came that first Christmas. It wasn’t wrapped in a beautiful package and set under a decorated tree. The greatest gift came wrapped in the flesh of baby Jesus and laid in the rough wood of a manger. Our perfect gift would later be rewrapped in the scars of our sin and nailed to the rugged wood of a cross on Calvary, all because of love.

Father, this final week of Advent, fill our hearts and minds with the significance of that truth. Thank you, Lord, for loving us enough to send Jesus. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen

4th Advent Sunday: Scripture for Reflection

• “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

• “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

• “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

• “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.” (John 3:16)

• “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.” (John 1:16)

• “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:8-10)

• “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7)

• “When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.” (Luke 23:33-34)

• “He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’” (Luke 24:46-49)

Get your FREE copy of 25 Days of Advent Prayer Guide - short daily prayers for your family to connect your heart and mind to the reason we have hope and peace this holiday season and each day to come!

This article is part of Bobbie's series of Advent wreath prayers for each week of the season. For more weeks, please visit:
Advent Prayer Week 1
Advent Prayer Week 2
Advent Prayer Week 3
Advent Prayer Week 4

Bobbie Schaeperkoetter is married to her high school sweetheart and is a homeschooling mama of a tween boy and a teen boy. She loves Jesus with her whole heart and is just doing her best to honor him in the craziness of life. She hopes that by sharing her efforts to do so, she can shake a little salt, shine a little light, and encourage you to do the same. 

Bobbie is also a writer and blogger at www.bobbieschae.com

She would love for you to stop by and say hello on social media at www.facebook.com/bobbieschae, on Twitter @bobbie_schae and on Instagram @Bobbieschae

Read Advent Bible verses at BibleStudyTools.com - The 28 Scriptures can be broken into four weeks with a passage for each day!

Prayer is a wonderful way to help cut away from distractions of the season and open your heart to prepare for the joy and hope of Christ's birth. Crosswalk.com offers 12 Advent Prayers to help you focus on the reason for the season!

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