“The Power of Love” by Rev. Christine Emmerling 2/4/2024
Today I’m talking on The Power of Love to heal. Love as a power may seem strange to hear mostly because people think of love in terms of emotions, desires and romance. The kind that Valentine’s Day promotes. That is not the kind of love we mean when we speak of “God is Love.” We’re speaking of a principle, a principle is a truth that never changes – it is eternally true. The love people proclaim for one another based on physical desire or needs, changes very quickly from love to dislike, distrust, disgust or to even hate.
When we look to humankind for love we look amiss. When we try to control the direction in which love shall come, we will most often be disappointed. Love comes from God, and when we look to God for love and non-other, then love comes to us freely through our fellow human beings.
Some people see love as something to trade as in “I did all this for you, so now I deserve your love in return.” When we are expecting love from that person, again we are looking amiss. When we give love, love will come back to us, but it is up to us to be open channels in receiving. To be love in action and accept love from wherever it may come.
The saying “Be the change you wish to see in the world” by Mahatma Gandhi applies here. Just replace the word “change” to “love” to read as “Be the love you wish to see in the world.” It’s about acknowledging that this love is already here within us as the Presence of God, and all we have to do is express it. This expressing love raises our vibration and as in “Like attracts like.” Like a magnet we now attract to us the channels for God’s love to express back to us. God’s love within us is released, we become God’s channel to express love into the world. As well as we receive back from a matching channel of love.
If we feel that we’re not receiving the love we want, then we need to go back and look at our own self. And, I’m not talking about trying to get from a feeling of lack. It’s about building this sense of love within our own self first. How well do we really love our self? I’m reminded of the Bible verse in Matt. 22:40, Jesus said “These two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. You shall love the Lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might, and love your neighbor as your self.” And in John 15:12 “that you love one another as I have loved you.”
The kind of love we’re speaking about is unconditional, compassionate and forgiving love. First we can only love another person as we love our own self. Think and reflect on that internal dialogue at how kind and loving it is towards you. I’ve heard some of the nicest people say the most unkind, insulting things about themselves. Such as, “stupid”, “lazy” or even “hate.” I’m sure they wouldn’t go about saying that to their best friends, but that voice within them does - it can be so quick to shame. Now that’s not love.
Love God first with all our might, heart and soul. How do we do this? God seems so abstract, and at times so far away. Yet we are told that God is closer than our breath. We are also told in Psalms 82:6 “You are gods.” There is this something within us that is so powerful, and yet lays back and waits for us to acknowledge its very existence. This something is what we call God, Christ, Buddha, Universal Mind or by many other names. Whatever we want to call it, it is something greater than this human existence we think we are. We are so much more, and it is powerful when we connect ourselves with it. It is the power to love, to heal, transform and raise the dead.
Can we love that part of our self. That part that is pure love, unconditional, compassionate, and an all forgiving love. Now to recognize this is exactly the same for every person everywhere. Can we love that part of them? That is a starting point to loving our neighbors as our self. We’re no longer looking at our differences, but at what we have similar. We are all divine beings of God. We can say, “The divine in me sees the divine in you.”
1st Corinthians 13, describes love; I’m using the Lamsa Bible translation:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love in my heart, I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love in my heart, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love in my heart, I gain nothing.
Love is long-suffering and kind; love does not envy; love does not make a vain display of itself, and does not boast. Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; rejoices not over iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endure all things.
Love never fails; but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is imperfect shall come to an end.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child. I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a mirror, darkly; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Jesus the Christ often spoke of love. It truly was his main message. Love was his power to heal all kinds of conditions. I believe that Christ Jesus didn’t go around seeing the ill, lame, blind or dead, but rather he saw the divine of them. The true life living within them the Spirit or Presence of God. Their true nature is eternal life, is whole and complete. Jesus then called this forth within them, and their soul responded accordingly. We too can have that kind of love that transcends all limitations and appearances.
The following is one of my favorite poems titled “Love” by Emmet Fox:
“Love is by far the most important thing of all. It is the Golden Gate of Paradise. Pray for the understanding of love, and meditate upon it daily. It casts out fear. It is the fulfilling of the Law. It covers a multitude of sins. Love is absolutely invincible.
There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer; no disease that enough love will not heal; no door that enough love will not open; no gulf that enough love will not bridge; no wall that enough love will not throw down; no sin that enough love will not redeem.
It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble, how hopeless the outlook, how muddled the tangle, how great the mistake; a sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all. If only you could love enough you would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world.”
Can we forgive our self, accept our self, and even our many miscreations? Those harsh words spoken so long ago, or an innocent child’s prank, a teen’s misdirected power, or actions taken while angry or fearful. Once the lesson is learned, it no longer needs to define us or limit us. God loves us. God doesn’t judge us. So why should we hold on to our past mistakes. Each one is like a vampire sucking life energy from us. I visualize cutting them all away. While cutting each one I have gratitude for the lesson learned, and fully forgive and release.
What about people who have hurt us? Again, we do the same in having gratitude for the lesson learned, and to fully forgive and release. They too are one in God, and the more I can see that, the more I shall know it for myself and call it forth in them.
Through the power of love the illusions, the false appearances regardless of what they may be, dissipate into the nothingness from which they came. The perfect life is restored in earth as it is in heaven - in body as it is in consciousness. As above so below, and as within so without. It’s all consciousness, the power of love.
So love is more than emotion, desire and physical. Love is the very essence and fabric of all creation. This essence is the energy within the atoms, protons and neutrons that holds the atoms together; that holds all creation, the universe and life together. It is the true intelligence and power behind all creation. It is the glue that holds it altogether.
Love is a frequency and when our thoughts and feelings match that frequency all is whole and complete. It is the magic of life to transform, to rearrange conditions, and heal any condition. No longer does it take weeks or days, but is done in the here and now. We’re no longer bound by time and space for we are working with spirit; with energy and its vibrational frequency of love. We shift from fear to love. We let go of all the false beliefs that bind us to fear, and become that love in action.
When feeling down on life, one way we can raise our love energy is by appreciating nature and seeing the beauty in it all. Seeing the love of God in expression, in all of creation. Another way is to simply do some deep breathing while acknowledging every breath is the life and breath of God, of pure love in action. Its amazing how quickly the vibrations are lifted and clears out all those lower vibrational thoughts.
Now we are ready to go out and see the world through the eyes of love. We’ve all have had to wait in lines while waiting for our turn; banks, post offices, grocery stores. Some people really lose their tempers and act out. This is a great opportunity to practice love in action. I’ve taken this time to silently affirming the divine in the employee and to give thanks for their service. Then I’ll affirm truth. It’s amazing how quickly the line will move.
Many times I’ve see an infant in a checkout line, and I’d silently say, “I see you, you are the Christ, the son of the living God.” And, they’ll look at me and sometimes even smile back. Opportunities are everywhere for us to be the love we wish to see in the world.
I’ll close with a Divine Science prayer treatment:
God, Infinite Spirit is here and now, and as my very being. This Divine Living Spirit lives and moves and has its beingness in and through my mind, body and soul. God sings I love you. Every atom is vibrating to the tune of love. Every cell is singing its perfect song of love.
The only true power is love, and anything else has no power of its own volition, it is a non power. Illness, pain, lack are the result of a belief in two powers; the belief that both God and appearances have their own power.
I no longer give my power to appearances. I now take my power back. I live by the power of God’s love. God’s love is the only and true power within me. I am whole and complete in God. God’s goodness is everywhere therefore my life is good. All that I need is at hand. Love abounds in my life. I am truly free to experience a rich full life.
What is true of me is true of everyone everywhere for we are all one in Divine Spirit. These spoken words of truth are power, and they go forth into the universe and it is done. I am grateful for God’s unconditional love, and for all this love within me to share. I give thanks for the many blessings already received and for those yet to come. And so it is. Amen.
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