The nature of divine love

In his first letter, John (the disciple Jesus loved) says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:7-8, NIV). Because God is also the creator from whom everything comes and therefore the ultimate 'IS' of creation, love must be that which hold creation together.

This love is the divine love and different from the concept, as it is often used in the human context. That does not mean that it is unknowable, it is just more difficult to explain. For those of us who have experienced it, it may also be described as 'the peace that passes understanding'. It is an overwhelming feeling in which you are at one with the universe.

The truth is that this state is the basis of creation: the essence of God. People try all sort of tricks (including intense prayer, breath control, sense deprivation, privations and even drugs) to achieve it. However, the truth is that it is all around and within them all the time. All anyone has to do is realise that this is our natural state.

How can God love us any more than this?

Paul Newman

March 2001

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