Just a few-days-ago, a man at the local bookstore was obsessively going through books in the Science-fiction section. He saw me standing in the aisle trying to figure out which area of the store I was headed to next and he asked a question; “what is the most powerful force in the universe?” I jokingly replied, “which universe,” and it was obvious he was seriously contemplating an age-old mystery. Realizing my gross failure at humor I responded with my one-word answer: “Love.” He barely raised his head as he looked at me askance, obviously trying to decide if my answer deserved a response, but he couldn’t help himself. “Love, you say?” “Yes, love.” At that moment I all types of scenarios ran through my head and I didn’t know if he was expecting that my visceral reaction would be fight or flight. So, I explained a little more.
Love, you see is without a doubt the most powerful force in the universe. It is the emotion (or force) that causes ordinary people to throw caution to the wind to pursue that person we just cannot live without. We will do whatever necessary to attract their attention and hope they feel just like we do.
Love causes fathers and mothers to work long, hard hours to provide the necessities of life for their children and it is love that will go the extra mile to make sure the children have a better chance in the parent herself had. She will work two or three jobs to make sure her child has school clothes just as nice as everyone else. It is love that makes the “momma-bear” to come out when that child faces danger.
We live in a day when the average commentator believes the Bible doesn’t have the same impact it once had, even questioning it’s worth to humanity although it is filled with wisdom, history and poetry. God’s Word is THE story of love. From the opening pages of Genesis to the closing pages of Revelation, we see the unfolding of God love for humanity. It was love that was on full display when God created Eve to be a helper to Adam, for God recognized, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Later, when the first man and woman disobeyed God by eating from the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (see Genesis 2:17; 3-6) it was God Himself who prevented them access to the tree of life, lest they live forever in a permanent state of separation from God. (Genesis 3:22, 23)
Once again, love was demonstrated as God prepared a place of refuge for those who were willing to obey His voice, thus saving them from the cataclysmic destruction of all mankind. You see, it was love when He found grace in the heart of a man named Noah, (Genesis 6:8) whom He chose to use to spare, along with his immediate family. It was Divine Love that guaranteed the continuance of the human race because Love was not willing to destroy those who were righteous along with the wicked.
Just as God made provision for Noah and his family, God, in His love has made provision for those who will today place their trust in Him through the ultimate gift of Love, Jesus Christ. Love has even promised that those who will trust Him will know his voice and not follow a stranger (John 10:14–16) with the reminder that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Are you getting the picture?
You see, it is virtually impossible for any of us to define this love that Jesus freely gives. He explained it to a Jewish ruler by the name of Nicodemus one dark evening. It is difficult for anyone to explain it if they have never experienced it first-hand. The esteemed commentator Adam Clarke offers this explanation of John 3:16: “Such a love as that which induced God to give his only begotten Son to die for the world could not be described; Jesus Christ does not attempt it. He has put an eternity of meaning in the particle “so” and left a subject for everlasting contemplation, wonder and praise, to angels and to men.” See what I mean? Even the angels have a hard time getting the head around it!
This love that is so difficult to explain is an unchangeable, self-sacrificing love that has its origin in the Divine! Jesus instructs us in John 15:9, “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.” An old story is told of a man who came to the great preacher D.L. Moody and told him that there should be some kind of “badge” for Christians to wear, showing that they have believed and accepted Christ into their lives. Quickly, Mr. Moody answered by quoting from John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
There is a beautiful Hebrew legend of two brothers who lived side-by-side on adjoining lands. One was the head of a large family; the other lived alone. One night, the former lay awake and though; “My brother lives alone, he has not the companionship of wife and children to cheer his heart as I have. While he sleeps, I will carry some of my sheaves into his field.”
At the same hour, the other brother reasoned: “My brother has a large family, and his necessities are greater than mine. As he sleeps, I will put some of my sheaves on his side of the field.” Thus, the two brothers went out, each carrying out his purposes and each laden with sheaves—and met at the dividing line. There they embraced. Years later, according to this legend, at this very place stood the Jerusalem Temple, and on the very spot of their meeting stood the Temple’s altar. So, what is the greatest force in the universe? Love! You see, it was love that brought these two brothers together at the dividing line of their properties, and it is love that brings us together causing lines of division to become altars where we offer ourselves to Almighty God! (cf. Romans 12:1,2)
Paul wrote to the Romans: “Let love be without dissimulations. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned done to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.” (Romans 12:9, 10). If no one else is convinced that love is the most powerful force in the universe, I certainly am. I am also convinced that people who do not know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior could find the ultimate fulfillment in a relationship with Him. The world itself has a certain longing if you will, a vacuum, looking for someone or something to fill it. They search in vain to find satisfaction, but their search only leads to empty hopes at the bottom of a bottle or in a handful of drugs. As they seek fulfillment in sexual encounters, life itself becomes a series of one-night stands, ultimately leaving them alone. Hopelessly trying to fill a spiritual void with material things. What is the most powerful force in the universe? Love, without a doubt it is love. We have the answer the world searches for, and it is found in a love that looks beyond the outward appearance, the color of the skin, the socio-economic classes! It is the powerful force of love that concerns itself with filling the spiritual void.
As I finished the brief explanation for my answer, the man simply shook his slightly disheveled head and walked away. Accept it or reject the answer is his choice, just like it is every person’s choice, but the fact remains that Love is the greatest force in the universe. Yes, love is the most powerful force in the universe, and it is love that describes the marching orders for the church. We must circle this globe with love. We have no other choice, no other desire, for God is love and to know Him is to know love.