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God Is Love 21


Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:26-27) 

God’s omnipotence means that God is able to do all his holy will.  (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 216) 

                We’ve finally gotten to the last of the three “Omnis.” Before turning to the issue of love being omnipotent, I want to address a misunderstanding about God being so. Some folks think of omnipotence as meaning that God can do anything. That is not true. There are many things that God cannot do. He cannot do what is logically impossible, like causing Himself to cease to exist. He also cannot do what is outside of His will to do, which means that He cannot do what is not in His nature. What omnipotence really means is that there is nothing that can prevent Him from doing what He decides to do.
         This is useful in considering the omnipotence of love. Love cannot do what is logically impossible. It also cannot do what is outside its will to do, meaning that love cannot stop loving, cannot stop seeking what is best for the beloved.  A person may stop loving, but love does not. A person may fail to pursue what is in the best interest of the beloved, but love does not. 
         This isn’t really a new idea. We often misunderstand what we’re saying, but most of us acknowledge the power of love… even in sappy songs:
The power of love is a curious thing
Make a one man weep, make another man sing
Change a hawk to a little white dove
More than a feeling that's the power of love
Tougher than diamonds, rich like cream
Stronger and harder than a bad girl's dream
Make a bad one good make a wrong one right
Power of love that keeps you home at night
You don't need money, don't take fame
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
It's strong and it's sudden and it's cruel sometimes
But it might just save your life
That's the power of love
That's the power of love
First time you feel it, it might make you sad
Next time you feel it it might make you mad
But you'll be glad baby when you've found
That's the power makes the world go'round
And it don't take money, don't take fame
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
It's strong and it's sudden it can be cruel sometimes
But it might just save your life
They say that all in love is fair
Yeah, but you don't care
But you'll know what to do
When it gets hold of you
And with a little help from above
You feel the power of love
You feel the power of love
Can you feel it?
Hmmm
It don't take money and it don't take fame
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel
You won't feel nothin' till you feel
You feel the power, just feel the power of love
That's the power, that's the power of love
You feel the power of love
You feel the power of love
Feel the power of love

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