There are a few things my family and friends can tell you I like…a lot.
The color orange.
Jeep Wranglers.
Guinness.
Jesus and Relationships.
Star Wars.
Superman.
As the word for today is “Powers” two of my favorites jump right out.
Star Wars…
Jedi and Sith battling for control of the universe, with what? A mystical power known simply as “The Force”. Though the Force is in all things and flows through all things, only a few are able to harness the Force and are imbued with powers beyond those of most.
Superman…
Hands-down the best superhero of all time. Don’t even think about suggesting Batman or Iron Man or [insert name of lesser-than-Superman hero here]. And instead of going into how amazing Superman is (so much more so than the so-called “Amazing” Spiderman), I just want to note when the word “powers” pops-up, a thought not far behind should be “Superman possesses all the powers that matter.”
[I have shared some thoughts on Superman. If you interested, you can read more here, here, and here.]
Beyond light sabers and capes…
You see there are powers, little “p” and then there are Powers, big “P”.
One is a description or expression of some attribute (like the ability to fly or leap tall buildings, or the ability to force-choke your enemies or lift a X-Wing out of a swamp), the other is a reality, an active force (not to be confused with the Star Wars Force).
Consider sin. There are sins – those character traits, choices we make – that we use to describe our separation from God. These would include pride, and hatred, and greed. But there is also Sin, a power that works in our life, that affects and influences us.
Likewise, we might talk about the power of Death. Certainly we all face death, but Death as a power is the force of destruction that works in opposition to all life.
And here we come to an important truth; just as there are “negative” powers, there are “positive” powers. The power of Grace stands in opposition to the power of Sin. The power of Life works to overcome the power of Death.
The greatest Power of all?
Love.
And here’s where Jesus enters the picture. As Paul says in his letter to the Romans…
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39
We may desire the ability to have super-strength or to move objects with our minds, but the most powerful Power is Love. (maybe Huey Lewis was on to something).
And the one who is Love incarnate, who embodies Love, who is named Love, is Jesus.
This Lent we get to think about our relationship with God. We have the opportunity to ask questions about how much we incarnate, embody Love. Nothing can separate us from God’s Love, but becoming Love, sharing Love, accepting Love’s victory over Sin and Death? That’s a choice we get to make. It’s a choice we’ve been given the Power to make and no other Powers can stand against those who make it, because there is no equivalent to kryptonite that can counter Love.
Life is better together.
Shawn
Check out what a few of my friends taking this journey with me think of this word…
Big Rubber Band Ball 
I hereby christen this post as “Shawn Franssens 101”
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It does pretty much sum me up. 🙂
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