BY PAUL S. RATSARA

The following devotional message was presented October 3, just prior to the 2002 Annual Council of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Silver Spring, Maryland. Some of the political and military situations may have changed since then, but we leave references to them intact so readers may get a sense of the gravity of the situation at the time of the address.--Editors.

T IS COMMON TO REFER TO A WAR-TORN COUNTRY but uncommon to talk of a war-torn division. But the Africa-Indian Ocean Division (AID)* is a war-torn division, with many countries in our territory operating under cross fire. I believe you have heard in the news that Ivory Coast, the location of our headquarters, is in turmoil. Our secondary school in Bouake, considered one of the best (if not the best) in the country, has now become the headquarters of the rebel troops. Here is an extract of a message we have received from my associate:

"Our brothers and sisters from Bouake, looking for refuge, arrived Sunday night at our church in Cocody, in Abidjan, at the time when prayers were being offered. About 100 of them. They had nothing to wear except the clothing on their back. Pastor Baka had only his trousers, a T-shirt, and a pair of slippers. Some of them had walked 100 kilometers in the bush, hiding from the rebels. But the most important thing is that they have been protected by God, and they are alive."

We praise God that in spite of these tribulations in our division, our brothers and sisters, our pastors and lay people, continue to work hand in hand for our Lord; and the Master keeps on proving that He is a great God, greater than any challenge, greater than all the challenges put together. God is still in control. Once again, thank you for continuing to pray for the AID.

A few weeks ago we were in South Africa during the Earth Summit. Delegates and representatives from different countries were trying hard to find a way to save this planet. One of the big concerns was what is called global warming. It is indeed a big threat to all the inhabitants of this earth. But this morning I would like to suggest that there is a phenomenon that is even more dangerous than global warming. It is global freezing. And I am talking not about physical freezing, but spiritual freezing.

Let's read Matthew 24:12: "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."†

And in 2 Timothy 3:1-3 it is clearly stated that there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves and also without love. Yes, the immediate problems many countries face are lack of food, lack of medication, lack of jobs. But the deeper problem of this world is the lack of love.

And the unfortunate thing about it is that the remnant church is not spared. We are somehow contaminated by this global freezing. Laodicea is lukewarm and has been advised to buy from God gold refined in fire, which is faith and love.

Without love, individually and corporately, we miss the point. The Bible is clear: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34, 35). "We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother" (1 John 4:19-21).

The world church, in response to the mission of Christ, is placing emphasis on three strategic issues: quality of life, unity, and growth. I strongly believe that if we have love, there is no doubt that the quality of our lives will be better. Our lives will demonstrate and illustrate the joy of salvation, restoration, and anticipation of the world to come.

If we have love, we will feel warmth from each other, and we will be united. Then jealousy, hatred, envy, and backbiting will melt away. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Cor. 13:4-8).

GC president Jan Paulsen wrote: "I want this church not only to be right but also to be warm-a good community to live in." "I want a stranger to be able to walk in off the street, sit for an hour in an Adventist congregation, and walk out saying, 'I would like to go back.'" Dear brothers and sisters, when we have love and when we as leaders promote love wherever we are and in whatever we do, that dream of our world president's, which is also ours, will become a reality.

If we are rooted in the warm climate of brotherly love, we will grow to greater heights. We will have a richer experience, and we will discover our spiritual gift, and we will be committed to active witness. And the Seventh-day Adventist presence will have a very positive impact on the community.

How Can We Have This Love?
We cannot manufacture love, we cannot create love, we cannot produce love. But I have good news for us today: we know where to find it. On a hill far away. God is love, and He is the fountain of love. Says the apostle, "Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" (Rom. 5:5). We do not know how to love; but if we are connected to Him, He will teach us how to love also: "Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other" (1 Thess. 4:9).

When we have this kind of love, we will do strange things that the world cannot understand. Let me illustrate:

As you know, a few years back the beautiful country of Rwanda experienced a horrendous tragedy. More than a million people lost their lives, at least 15,000 of them Adventists. But out of this tragic soil has bloomed a flower of hope and the power of love.

An Adventist widow in Rwanda was told that the man who had killed her loved ones had been captured and was in a prison not far from where she lived. Upon hearing this, she went to the prison guards and requested to see the man. When asked why she wanted to see him, she told the guards that it was her duty to take care of him, according to the teaching of Christ. They couldn't believe their ears. Thinking she was harboring a revengeful or sinister motive, they declined her request. But she persisted. In disbelief the guards asked, "How can you do such a thing?"

Our dear sister explained that she was a Seventh-day Adventist Christian and had decided to follow what the Bible teaches, no matter what. "It is written," our dear sister quoted, "'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is
in heaven'" (Matt. 5:44, 45, KJV).

The Adventist widow also referred to Paul's message: "'Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink. . . . Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good'" (Rom. 12:19-21, KJV).

Having thus quoted the Scriptures, she pleaded with the prison guards: "Please, don't keep me from practicing my Christian duties: to love my enemy, feed him, and give him water."

Moved by her words, the guards granted her permission to take care of the one who had killed her loved ones. Now on a regular basis she visits the man in prison, feeds him, gives him water to drink, and provides for his daily needs.
Here is love in action. Can you imagine the impact of this kind of witness when God's people choose to live in love, by love, and for love?

With this kind of love among us, global freezing, caused by lack of love, will change into global warming. The warmth of brotherly love, the warmth of unity, which will lead to quality of life and growth. And the church will preach what is written by Paul in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

The world will know then that this church has experienced a real global warming through the loving grace of Christ. They will come to Him and take Him as their personal Savior. The work will be finished; we will leave this wicked world and enjoy forever the warmth of love in heaven and the new earth with Jesus Christ.

_________________________
* The Adventist Church in Africa has now been reorganized. The Ivory Coast is now the headquarters of the Western Africa Division.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references in this article are from the New International Version.

_________________________
Paul S. Ratsara was secretary of the Africa-Indian Ocean Division (Abidjan, Ivory Coast, West Africa) when he wrote this piece. He is now the executive secretary of the new Southern Africa Division (presently located in Harare, Zimbabwe).