What The World Needs Now Is Love

Scripture: Have mercy on me O God, according to Your lovingkindness – according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions; wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sins. .. . Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me. . . restore to me the joy of Your Salvation and uphold me by Your “generous Spirit”. (Ps. 51).

I don’t know about anyone else – but I know that there are feelings, emotions, action, reactions and words that I have felt, said, or done – which I know haven’t pleased the Lord (and if I’m correct I believe I have a few friends out there that can say the same thing).

But the words of Dionne Warwick’s song kept ringing through my head all day yesterday – “What The World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love, That’s The Only Thing That There’s Just Too Little Of” – and I keep singing it and singing it and then I realized – oh my God – I needed that love – and I need to do more loving.

The world needs love – computers have replaced relationships, caused downsizing at jobs, wars and rumors of more wars; corruption in the government, violence in our homes and streets and across our land can leave anyone with feelings of hopelessness and if we are true to ourselves anger.

I know for myself that sometimes anger spills up from inside of me and I pray and ask God to remove it. I know I'm praying to release the feelings of anger from the murder of my son, the child abuse, and the abusive relationships that I allowed myself to get involved in. The worldly screne that I allowed myself to get into (but thanks be to God for bringing me out of them) and then the anger turns not on other people but on me. We have all been angry at someone or something at one time or another. And if truth be told I will be the first to admit about being angry at God also.

That’s why David’s cry to God is so awesome. He realizes how he feels -- the pain that he has caused not only to himself, but to others and especially to God. But he also has come to realize that only God will be able to clean him up. The Holy Spirit is the only one that can get to the places that no one else can and heal those hurting places.


I know better than some that there are things that have happened that just thinking about them not only bring hurt but anger and pain. I know that those of us that have lost children to violent murders can find anger popping up from within us and not know where it’s coming from. We get angry at God for not saving our children, angry at ourselves for not being there to protect our children, angry at the people who killed our children, and if truth be told we sometimes get angry or should I say jealous at those friends of ours who have their children – not that we want anything to happen to anyone – but it’s just a feeling down in the pit of your stomach that just says Why God – Why My Child?

This is when we have to be very careful – because when God doesn’t answer the why questions – and most of the time in these cases He doesn’t – we can’t give up on Him . He’s our only chance to make it through – our only anchor in the sea of grief, of loneliness of hopes and dreams that died along with our loved ones.

Moms and Dads – I know the plans you had for your daughters or sons. For many of you that was your only child – some of you never saw your child graduate from grammar school, high school, college – get a good job, get married; have children. We have such big plans for our children – good plans. I know I had them for my son – I knew when I got old that my son would be there to take care of me – even though I have a daughter who I love dearly – but I knew my son was going to be the one..

I know it hurts Mom and Dad, grandma, granddad, sister, brother, auntie, uncle, niece, nephew – I know it hurts young men and young women – but together if we all get together on one accord – and “Keep Our Head to the Sky” (ooops – excuse me a little Earth, Wind & Fire just got in there) – just maybe we can hold down and move forward – even if we have to crawl – a little at a time.

I ‘m reminded of what David prayed in Psalm 71 – “Oh God You have taught me from my youth and to this day I declare Your wondrous works – Now when I am old and gray headed Oh God do not forsake me – let me declare Your strength to this generation – Your power to everyone who is to come.”

What does this have to do with love – everything. Love is the only balm that will heal the anger and hurt from who we have lost, what was done to us or what we have done. Love is the only balm that will heal our children. Love is God and scripture says that we are made in the image and likeness of God – but somehow we have let so much cover that up that we need the help of the Holy Spirit to uncover it again. God’s Love is the Prayer and the Answer.

Love and forgiveness do more for us than we think. It will not only heal the hurting soul, mind and spirit, but it heals us spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically and financially.

So yes Oh Lord – create in us clean hearts – full of Your love – we don’t want to feel the anger and hurt any longer Lord – but we don’t know how to do it ourselves. But thank God we know a God who is able – and for this Father we just say thank you – thank you for being the God that’s always there; thank you for forgiving us and loving us, thank you that even You understand our anger and hurt – and in Your love and compassion for us You keep us from going too far out of line. Thank you Lord that we’re your Sheep; thank you for covering us and our families, loved ones and friends in Your Blood Lord and let this be one of the safest school years ever – and one of the most peaceful years we have had in a long time.


Let us pray, “Father I come to you today in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, our Deliverer, Our Healer – our Sustainer and our very present help in the time of Trouble – Jesus. Father I ask that you touch our hearts and minds – fill us with a fresh anointing of Your love - the only balm that will heal us and our world. Jesus You said that the 2 greatest commandments were “To Love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves.” Help us to remember that You dwell within us – that of ourselves we can do nothing – and that our first love is to be You. And then Father, I pray that you give us a healthy love of ourselves that we may love our neighbors as ourselves – because we can’t love ourselves – we can’t love anyone else in the way You intended us to love.

Father let your anointing of love and forgiving power flow throughout the world touching everyone man, woman and child. Heal broken spirits and wounded hearts, minds and bodies. Clean us up in the inside by the infilling of Your love – give us steadfast spirits in You and in Your love – that we may be the change that we want to see for the world – a world filled with the Glory of Your love, peace, joy, health, strength, power and abundant supply for everyone man, woman and child on the face of this earth. Let it be done according to Your Will and let all attributes be spiritualized by Your Holy Spirit – for then we know it will be done perfectly – for you said “Your thoughts toward us are of peace, and not evil – to bring us a future full of hope.”


May God continue to pour His rich blessings upon each and every one of you.