Fierce Love of God

"Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" (Romans 2:4)

"But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us..." (Tit. 3:4-5a)

God's kindness toward us is not meant to end with us, but rather, is to be manifested through us to others. In this way we become a channel of God's gracious and kind presence to others. In short, we become instruments of God's love--a powerful love that breaks through the hardest of hearts and overcomes the greatest of evils.

Unfortunately, the force of this truth is often dulled by our worldly definitions of "love" and "power". We rarely consider how much our conceptions of love and power are influenced by secular/godless definitions rather than by the lexicon of the cross. How could we possibly define "love" as an overwhelmingly delightful emotion that sweeps us off our feet in light of the love demonstrated on the cross? How could we possibly define "power" as a manipulative, overpowering, and controlling force in light of the power demonstrated at the cross?

The cross demands that we redefine our conceptions of "love" and "power" in order to be instruments of God's powerful love to others.

God's love is not less than an emotion, but it is certainly more. Furthermore, it is not something that "sweeps us off our feet," but rather is a committed act of the will that seeks the good of the beloved, regardless of the beloved's response. God's love is the mature "for-better-or-for-worse" kind of love that is nurtured in the context of a covenant commitment and not the irresponsible and superficial kind of love that comes from a rush of emotion due to overactive hormones. In short, God's love must be defined in light of the cross, and the love demonstrated on the cross is anything but a surge of positive emotions into which one "falls". Instead, the love on the cross demonstrates strength of commitment regardless of the response. This love turns the world's standards upside-down!

God's love is powerful, but it is not "power" as defined by the standards of this world. It is not a love that manipulates, coerces, overpowers, and controls. Rather, it is a power that--like love--must be defined in light of the cross. Thus, God's demonstration of his saving power at the cross is God's power displayed in weakness! The weakness is the power! The power is the weakness! This powerful demonstration of love in weakness completely undermines all the "powers" that so often impress us, for they are unable to stand against the power-displayed-in-weakness at the cross. This power defined by the cross turns the world's standards upside-down!

If you combine these two things--a God-centered definition of love and power--then the power of love is clearly defined for us. The power of love is the power to remain hanging on a cross, not of our own making, but a cross unjustly thrust upon us by the cruelty of others. It is the ability to endure all the evil powers thrust upon us, absorbing them in the committed passion of the cross, and exposing them as powerless before love-in-weakness, the power of crucified love.

It should be obvious that this kind, gentle love is not the sentimental, sappy variety longed for by ego-driven romantics and dream-happy pacifists. Instead, this love is strong. This love is a fierce love, a positive force that conquers sin, evil, and death. It is the burning passion to overcome evil with good. It is a steadfast commitment to the good of another--even if that other is one's enemy. It is a love that does not put self or stuff at the center of life, but gives itself away with joyful abandon. It is a love so secure in another that it loses its life for others, only to find its life again.

Will you be an instrument of God's powerful love to others today? It will demand a constant reevaluation of your understanding of love and power, but in the end it will be worth it. For this constant reevaluation will take you repeatedly to the cross to define your conceptions of love and power.

  © Richard J. Vincent, July 21, 2002