Why is there

something instead

of nothing? The only answer I can

imagine is Genesis 1:1: “In

the beginning God….” But

why would God say, “Let

there be light” and

by Brian Zahnd

initiate Creation? The onlyanswer I can imagine is Godis love.

What is light? God’s love inthe form of photons.

What is water? A liquidexpression of God’s love.

What is a mountain? God’slove in granite, so much olderthan human sorrow.

What is a tree? God’s lovegrowing up from the ground.

What is a bull moose? God’slove sporting spectacular antlers.

What is a whale? Fifty tons ofGod’s love swimming in theocean.

As we learn to see Creation asgoodness flowing from God’sown love—we begin to see thesacredness of all things. AsDylan and Dostoevsky say, inevery grain of sand.

All of creation is a gift—a giftflowing from the self-givinglove of God.

Why is there light andoceans and trees and mooseand whales and every grain ofsand? Because God is love—love seeking expression in self-giving creativity. Unless weunderstand this we’ll

misunderstandeverything andmisspend ourlives. In ourmisunderstanding andmisspent lives we harmCreation—including our sistersand brothers, all of whom bear

the image of God.Love never ends.At the end of all things

there is love. Love abides.Love endures. When the laststar burns out,God’s love willbe there forwhatever comesafter. In the end it all

adds up to love.So when you arecalculating themeaning of life—if it doesn’t addup to love,recalculate,because you’ve made a seriousmistake!

Existence only makes sensewhen seen through the lens of

love. At the beginning of timethere is love. At the bottom ofthe universe there is love. It’s in God’s ocean of endless

love that we live and move andhave our being.

Admittedly freedom allowsfor otherthings

too (from cancer cells toatomic bombs)—but at thebottom of the universe it’s loveall the way down. Cancer cellsand atomic bombs will nothave the final word. Lovealone has the final say.

“Unless you love, your life willflash by.”(Thank you, TerrenceMalick.)

Love alone gives meaning toour fleeting fourscore sojourn.Why? Because everything elsereturns to dust. It’s love alonethat never ends. It’s love alonethat is greater than the grave.Death severs all, save love.We remain connected to ourdeparted loved ones by the un-severable bond of love.

Love remembers.God’s love is great enough to

remember all and to re-memberall. If Creation is an explosion(or rapid expansion) of God’slove (and I believe it is)—New

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“In the fury of themoment I can see

the Master’s handIn every leaf thattrembles, in every

grain of sand.”— Bob Dy lan , Every

Grain of Sand

“Love all of God’s creation, boththe whole of it and every grain ofsand. Love every leaf, every ray ofGod’s light. Love animals, loveplants, love each thing. If you loveeach thing, you will perceive themystery of God in things. Once youhave perceived it, you will begintirelessly to perceive more and moreof it every day. And you will come atlast to love the whole world with an

entire, universal love.”

—Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

As we learn to seeCreation as goodness

flowing from God’s ownlove—we begin to see the

sacredness of all things. AsDylan and Dostoevsky say,

in every grain of sand.

PH

OT

O B

Y A

LB

ER

TO

CA

BE

LLO

Creation (or resurrection) is thetriumph of God’s endless love

over death.This is the question: Which

is endless, Love or Death? Theanswer is Love. If God is loveand if love never ends and ifthe meaning of being is love—and if Jesus is the supremeincarnation of God’s eternallove—then that should tell ussomething about what it lookslike to follow Jesus. FollowingJesus is a journey toward

perfection in the love ofGod.

It’s a journey that will takeus a lifetime, and perhapslonger.

But the trajectory is clear:We are always moving

toward the way of love.If what we’re doing, praying,

preaching, saying, isn’t movingus toward love then it’s not thetrue way of following the loveof God who is Jesus Christ.This needs to be said, because

it is too easily forgotten.Loveless orthodoxy is death.

We’ve all seen those who inthe name of Jesus haveperfected meanness. The iconicand tragic-comic examplewould be the Westboro Baptistfolk—but there are plenty of

other less egregious, butstill tragic, examples.The journey of faithalmost always begins assomewhat elitist (I’msaved!)—but it always

moves toward becomingegalitarian—Peter learningGentiles are accepted by God.Love triggers the divine anddeep (but often repressed)

28 CWRm

In my earliest days of following Jesus I had an air oftriumphalism—I’m on the winning team! But as I matureI find triumphalism shrinking and love expanding.

Why is therelight and oceansand trees and

moose and whales andevery grain of

sand? Because God islove—love seekingexpression in self-giving creativity.

Jews…Muslims…Hindus…Buddhists…Atheists. I’m thinking of specific people…friends. But will

they be saved?! That’s not my business. Mybusiness is to love and point to Jesus.

What about the borders ofyour love? Are theyshrinking? Static?Expanding? Who are youembracing in love—fewerpeople? The same people?More people?

I’m not worried abouthaving borders of love that

are too broad. Loving toomany people will hardly be acrime at the judgment seat ofChrist.

In my earliest days offollowing Jesus I had an air oftriumphalism—I’m on thewinning team! But as I mature Ifind triumphalism shrinkingand love expanding. Today Ifind it much easier to love

people who are very differentfrom me.

I’ve learned to genuinely lovepeople of other religions—andstill confess Jesus is Lord. Jews…Muslims…Hindus…Buddhists…Atheists. I’m thinking ofspecific people…friends.

But will they be saved?! That’s not my business. My

business is to love and point toJesus. I do believe that no onewho loves the way of graceever comes to a bad end.

Back to the question about

our borders of love—whywould our borders of loveshrink and not expand? Onlyone answer: Fear.

As I observe the world—politically, socially,economically, religiously—I observe there really are only twoforces that move people: Fear andLove. So when you observe theevents that make news(especially if there’scontroversy)—ask this simplequestion: What’s at work here?Fear or Love?

Then ask yourself anotherquestion: What’s moving me?Fear or Love?

Finally, make the decision tomove with love and refuse torespond to fear. You can affordto make that risky movebecause…God is love and lovenever ends. q

Brian Zahnd is the lead pastorof Word of Life Church in St.Joseph, Missouri. He is also theauthor of several books, includingRadical Forgiveness, BeautyWill Save the World and AFarewell to Mars.

WINTER 2015 29

instinct that all things belong.All God has created is good. Sinis the corruption, the hole, inthe fabric of God’s goodness.

You too belong. You too areaccepted. I will make room for you.

Over time, as we are properlyformed, love will elicit thiskind of language. Love is open.

Love is expansive. There is alargeness to love. Sin is mean,petty and small. The wholeworld of Hell in C.S. Lewis’ TheGreat Divorce was no biggerthan a grain of sand. Selah.

If Creation comes from theexplosive expansion of God’slove—I find it significant thatwe live in an ever-expandinguniverse. The universe is not

shrinking, it’s not static, it’sexpanding…at the speed oflight!

God is love. God is light.God’s love is expanding at thespeed of light.

And what is the wrath ofGod? The love of God wronglyreceived. Either we go withthe grain of love or we sufferthe shards of self-inflictedharm. And that you “did it toyourself” by resisting God’slove makes it no less of ajudgment.

Today I find it much easier to love people whoare very different from me. I’ve learned to

genuinely love people of other religions—andstill confess Jesus is Lord.

If Creation comes from the explosive expansionof God’s love—I find it significant that we livein an ever-expanding universe...it’s not static,

it’s expanding…at the speed of light!

I’m not worried about having borders of lovethat are too broad. Loving too many people willhardly be a crime at the judgment seat of Christ.