CHAPTER 15
Exploding Love

Exploding Love.

As incongruous as the two words may seem, there is no choice but to place them together. They are a seeming contradiction of terms only because of our inadequate views and cloudy understanding of the nature of divine love.

In an explosion, we are told, there is a rapid multiplication of forces, so rapid as to create extreme violence and a very loud noise. Also, in an explosion there is an expulsive power which sends debris flying in all directions, often disintegrating as it goes.

But the violence and power of an explosion is not only outward. Once the vacuum has been created there is the rush of nature to fill it and the violence of the implosion is, if anything, more extreme than the explosion itself.

Now we will certainly admit that violence and loud noise have little to do with divine love. But God's love does multiply. "Mercy unto you, and peace and love be multiplied" (Jude 2). St. Paul expresses much the same idea, "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more" (Philippians 1:9).

The concepts of love shared in these pages are capable of triggering a spiritual explosion. The expulsion of sin is followed by an inrush of love. If you have seriously considered that love is something you do, that love must be verbalized and expressed, that love must above all be demonstrated by obedience to God, then without doubt the revolution of love will come into your experience. And do not be surprised if love simply explodes.

Love multiplies rapidly. It is a divine and delightful contagion, a heavenly leaven. And when the renewal of the Spirit of God comes to your life and church, yes, there may be only one term to describe it - exploding love.

Gerald McGarvey, a missionary of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Africa whom we greatly appreciate, has written of an experience we shared at a preachers' conference at Dedougou, Upper Volta. We include it because it illustrates what we have been seeking to say.

"The next morning was something else! After a message on how we are required to love one another if we are to call ourselves Christ's disciples, Mr. Foster asked that all bow their heads. He said, 'You can say that God loves you. You can say that you love God. But can you turn to the one sitting next to you and say you love him? Is there anyone in the room to whom you cannot truthfully say "I love you"?' It was like just before a violent rain when the sky is black but in one hushed moment all you can hear is the far away faint roar of the coming wind. Down on the front row one of the leaders. . . was weeping. His missionary grasped his hands and they wept together. Then he turned to another missionary and wept on his shoulder.

It was at that moment that Mr, Foster took my hand and said, 'I love you,' I responded instantly, 'I love you, my brother.' Then he went one way and I the other, taking the hands of our brethren and saying out loud, 'I love you, my brother,' Then it happened. Everyone was out of his seat, We were no longer shaking hands, we were embracing each other. Forgiveness was asked and love was expressed as we shared the moment of divine love together, passing from one to another in what must be called an explosion of love." 1

And if I may add my observations to Mr. McGarvey's, for about ten minutes we witnessed a manifestation of love and joy, of brokenness and.tears that left many of us in awed silence. The overwhelming thought in our minds was, "We have never seen it like this," All praise to the Lord alone!

Now if you will allow me to speculate, I think that love in its purest form is always expanding, abounding - and if the term no longer jars you - exploding,

Jesus expressed the love relationship between Himself and His Father this way, "You gave Me the glory because You loved Me before the world began" (John 17:24, Living Bible), Citing the same scripture, Francis Schaeffer observes, "Among the things we know about the Trinity is that the Trinity was before the creation of everything else and that love existed between the persons of the Trinity before the foundation of the world." 2

Is it possible that this perfect love in the Trinity has always been an exploding love, that it now is abounding more and more, and that forever divine love goes on multiplying? Our minds boggle at such speculation, but if this immeasurable universe is always rushing outward, it just may be true that God's perfect love is always g:rowing too.

It is certainly not speculative that God is able to manifest Himself most in the lives of those who passionately love Him. "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" (John 14:21). "I will only reveal Myself to those who love Me, and obey Me" (John 14:23, Living Bible).

Have you ever wondered why it was that Daniel in the Old Testament and John in the New received such great revelations from God? I believe the key was love. Daniel was "greatly beloved," a great lover of God. John was the Apostle of Love, the man who leaned on Jesus' breast because he wanted to.

We are not suggesting here that all who truly love God will necessarily receive end-time visions and apocalyptic revelation. But the Saviour has promised to manifest Himself to those that love Him. And He will do that.

This little book has been written because we believed God wanted it. Moreover, there is an assurance in our hearts that the Holy Spirit will use it in many parts of the world to kindle the revolution of love.

Now we have some important words for you, If the revolution of love has come to your heart, thank God. But please do not for a moment feel that this is something which once learned, can be put aside and stored for future reference. Like the manna of old which could not be stored up, this truth is for now, for today, for doing. We do not to save ourselves nor merit God's favor, but to please Him because we love Him.

Also, please do not ever assume that God's love is exhausted, that its power has been expended. My wife and I pray for you that your love may abound more and more.

Love never fails.

And now you'll understand us when we say, "We love you all."

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1 Gerald McGarvey, Revival in Dedougou, from Mali, Upper Volta Tidings, edited by Ruth Herber (December 1972), p. 8.
2 Francis A. Schaeffer, The God Who Is There, Hod" der and Stoughton. Ltd., London, 1968, p. 97.

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