It’s that time of year when the Atlantic Ocean comes alive with various storms and hurls them our way. So recently we were in the middle of another tropical storm alert here in Florida as a hurricane passed nearby. This past one was no problem for us in the northeast — not much rain, just lots of wind — but the wind was crazy! I could barely hold onto my hat when I was walking the dog down the sidewalk! She got so excited with all the commotion made by this invisible power.
I find weather, particularly wind, to be a fascinating thing. You can’t see it, however, its power can be felt and seen in many ways. Anything loose gets tossed around — trash cans not taken in are sent tumbling down the street and debris from the trees is scattered all over everyone’s yards. Even my front door made loud noises as the wind whistled through small little cracks in the frame.
Truly such amazing invisible power.
Kind of like the power of love, isn’t it?
Like wind, love isn’t something that can be seen but the effect of it can be. And how can we not mention the subject of love without quoting some of 1 Cor.13. Here are verses 4-8:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
Love may be invisible like the wind, but we do see its impact: instead of seeing trees bend, we see people bend. Instead of trash filling up the streets, we see light and joy fill up a place. Instead of fears, we see faith.
In a letter to his daughter, Albert Einstein said that love is the most powerful force there is in the universe, and the Apostle Paul says that love is the only thing that really matters. (1 Cor.1-3)
Only love has the power to reveal to the world who God is. God so loved the world that He gave His most precious gift, His Son, in order to have
fellowship with us. (Jn.3:16) Such are the enormous effects of this astonishing invisible power.
I have seen the power of wind on television reporters trying to stand and talk in the face of hurricanes. I have felt gale force winds myself while standing on the beach. And I have been on a sailboat in a nasty squall on the St. John’s River that ripped off a hatch as the rain blew horizontally and violently tossed us around. But the invisible power of God’s love is much greater than anything we could ever possibly imagine. Much, much greater.
Let’s share it to everyone we meet.