The Power of Love

Weekly Devotional

The Power of Love…

By Elder Michael V. Johnson

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

~1 John 4:8 (NIV)

“I lost my friend a week ago today…”

Interesting how I have to say it out loud to help myself grasp the brevity of the loss. Immediately, I envision a multitude of people filing into our church in an out-pouring of love for this Man. You see, his life spoke. His degree of charity was limitless, the length to which he would go to help a friend was without measure, and his love for friends and family was the epitome of the emotion. Aristotle said, “The antidote for fifty enemies is one friend”, so if you’ve been blessed to find one, and then lose them, you understand my pain.

I’m reminded of the Apostle John, perhaps the closest earthly friend of Jesus. He heard Him, he touched Him with his own hands, and he even took care of His mother for Him. John wanted people to know that Jesus was “real”, because he knew then, as we know now, that the world offers some pretty weak substitutes. People who know Jesus have a bond with Him that goes beyond the superficial, beyond language, culture, economics, education, and politics. Jesus is Love. In a time span of just over three years, He set into motion a ministry rooted in Love that would overcome the world, and performed an act that has saved humanity from itself. John must have found it tough to bear witness to what his Friend had to go through, and then be obedient to his Friends request love those who performed the deed.

Love is the very nature of God, if it wasn’t, He wouldn’t have allowed His Son to be crucified for us. He’s Patient, Kind, Protective and Preserving. We need to possess these virtues to be called Children of the Most High, for how else can love be the greatest of Christian Virtues if Non-Christians can’t see love being demonstrated in our lives?

I challenge you to show love today, our opportunities to do so can disappear in the time span of a breath…

Carpe Diem,

~Elder Michael V. Johnson