This week marks the second week of the 2014 Advent Season. We’ve put together four Advent posts—one for each week. We hope they help put you in the Christmas mindset. Check out the second post:

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.

John 1:9-18

Entering this second week of Advent, light the candle of hope along with the second candle of love on your wreath. Reflect on the incredible gift Jesus is to the world, and know that the entire reason for this gift is God’s love for all people.

God sent Jesus to dwell among us and remind us that He cares for us. The Bible tells us He did this because He loves us so much He wanted anyone who believes in Him to be with Him forever—as His very own children!

Full of grace and truth, Jesus came to demonstrate the vastness of this love and also to teach us how to love. Because of His example, and because He first loved us, we too can love—and that is exactly what we have been called to do.

What can you do this week to love others the way Jesus loves you?