If you were around in the ‘80’s or have seen the blockbuster movie “Back To The Future”, you may be familiar with the number-one hit song by Huey Lewis and the News, “The Power Of Love“. It’s all about that wonderful feeling brought on by romantic love, reflecting on how love drives you crazy and makes you do things you wouldn’t normally do. While that can be powerful, I want to share with you another kind of love that is far more prevailing than a love that can “make a one man weep and another man sing.”
Before we dive into what this powerful love is though, let’s explore what power means. One definition from the Merriam Webster dictionary is this; ability to act or produce an effect. So, if power is the ability to act or produce an effect, whatever follows it is what is being put into action or produced. As in, the power of the wind produces a breeze and we see the effects of it as the trees blow. We don’t have to look far to see the effect of the power of hate. It produces pain, destruction, division, to name only a few consequences. The effects of a natural disaster can produce devastation, destruction, etc. But how often do we see what the power of love produces? I would venture to say not often enough compared to the negative news that seems to dominate the spotlight. Is there somewhere in your life you have seen the effects of the power of love though? Maybe in your home, your community, your church, your office? Are you a part of that effect?
Now that we understand power, let’s look at the source of true love. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:7-11 (NIV)
Did you catch that? God is love. Love comes from God. God showed his perfect love by giving us his Son. The effect of the power of his love is our salvation! Can you imagine that powerful kind of love? If we can lean into this truth and tap into the source, the power of love can break barriers that were erected by hate or hurt. The power of love guides us to forgive. The power of love leads us into places we never thought we’d go, to people we never thought to reach out to. When we allow the power of love to guide us through each day, we can give more of ourselves, knowing God’s love pours into us continually so we can love more intentionally. Genuine, true and authentic love comes from the One who is love, God. When we understand that, we can then accept and receive his perfect love for us. After we receive that life-giving love, we then in turn can give it away to others! That is the power of love! Not that we take it, but that we give it! So don’t waste a moment! Today, who can you love? Who can you reach? Who can you forgive? What barrier will you break? All for the power of love!
Moments To Treasure 