What does Christmas have to do with love?

To some, this question might have an obvious answer. Christmas is the time of year you gather with your family, enjoy favorite traditions, and make new memories. It’s a day overflowing with cozy feelings, sweet reunions, and—yes—lots of love.

But to others, Christmas might seem like the most loveless time of the year. It’s a day that brings up painful memories and reminds you of empty chairs around the table. It might be overshadowed with strained family relationships or burdened with the realities of a difficult year. Where do you find love in the middle of yearly heartache?

No matter how you feel about the Christmas season, God’s Word provides a reason to rejoice when we consider the meaning behind this holiday.

Scripture tells us that God loved us so much that he sent his only Son to save us. While this was God’s plan throughout all of history and was prophesied for centuries before Christ’s birth, Christmas is the unique moment in history when Jesus became incarnate, or took on our humanity. In doing so, he also took the first step on the path that led to the cross, where he proved his redemptive love for us by dying for our sins.

Today, the Bible can guide us in reflecting on God’s amazing love for us at Christmas and throughout the year. Here are five things Christmas teaches us about love.

God is love.

The Bible tells us everything we need to know about God. Through his Word, we learn that God is perfect, patient, good, and righteous. We also see that God is not only loving—he is love. Ultimately, the miracle of Christmas and Christ’s incarnation can be traced back to God’s great love for us.

God is love, and those who live in love live in union with God and God lives in union with them.

1 John 4:16b GNT

Jesus came to show us God’s love.

Scripture tells us that everyone is separated from God by our sin. Without God choosing to intervene, there would be nothing we could do to fix our relationship with God or rescue ourselves from sin, suffering, and death. But because of who he is, God chose to show his love for us by sending his Son to pay the price for our sin. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ created a way for us to receive salvation. Christmas is the time of year we remember Jesus’s arrival—the ultimate expression of God’s love for us.

God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!

Romans 5:8 GNT

Through Christ, we receive the love of a heavenly Father.

Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus secured salvation for our sins. But the Bible tells us that God desired even more for us. Jesus did not simply restore our broken relationship with God and others—he made it even more glorious. Through Christ, God becomes our heavenly Father, and we become brothers and sisters with every other person who trusts in Jesus. In this way, Christmas helped create the largest and most beloved family the world has ever known.

See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called God’s children—and so, in fact, we are.

1 John 3:1a GNT

Because of Christ, we can show God’s love to others.

In the Christmas season, it’s often easy to get swept up in the chaos of gift wrapping and family gatherings. But this time of year should also remind us that we are called to love others, just as God has loved us. Christ’s love should spill out of our hearts and touch others. Even in the hectic Christmas season, we should be ready to love those who are feeling alone, discouraged, or forgotten. Christmas is a chance to show others the same love Christ showed to us—encouraging others to experience the amazing gift we received from God.

We love because God first loved us.

1 John 4:19 GNT

God’s love remains eternally.

Have you ever been hurt by someone you love? The sting of rejection and bitterness of heartbreak can linger for a lifetime. One of the painful realities of our broken world is that even those we love most will eventually let us down. But when the Bible tells us about God’s love to us in Christ, there’s no threat of broken promises or lessened love. God has given us everything in Christ, and his love will never be revoked. In fact, Scripture tells us that it will endure forever. That is something we can rejoice in this Christmas, and throughout the year!

Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 GNT