“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”
Jeremiah 31:3, NASB
God’s love is eternal. It started in eternity past and continues into eternity future. Eternity has no beginning and no end and neither does God. I’m not into scientific explanations nor understanding of ones, but I know there is a scientific explanation for an eternal flame. (You can do your own research on that. 😊) A flame is widely accepted as a symbol of eternal life so I’m sure there is a huge connection there. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, “the meaning of ETERNAL FLAME is a small fire that is kept burning as a symbol to show that something will never end.” God’s love is eternal and will never end. It is something that cannot be seen with the naked eye like the flame of a fire, but it is just as real.
Unconditional. He loves us with an everlasting love that is unconditional. It’s not just any old love like the love we have for chocolate or sports or music. Those kinds of love fade away and die eventually, but God’s love never fades and never dies. Human love sometimes puts limits and requirements on whether they will love a certain person or not, but God’s love is unconditional.
God has loved us since the beginning of the world. He loved us when He made Adam and Eve and gave them and us a world fashioned by His hands, full of everything we need for life—food, clothing, shelter. He loves us throughout life and never stops loving us which is why God sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins. It was the only way that we could be set free from our sin. God cannot tolerate sin and He wants us to spend eternity with Him, so He provided for the payment of our sin through His Son.
Endures. God’s love is everlasting because it endures man’s tests and attempts to snuff out its purposes and eternity. It’s not a flimsy, spineless thing that can be squashed, killed, blown out, thrown out, buried, nor stolen. God’s love is firm, steady, sure, and totally different from the world’s definition of love. Man’s love often fluctuates, is fickle, dies, gives up, and is short-lived. How different from God’s love! God’s love is a faithful love that cannot waiver due to our unfaithfulness! He will always love us no matter what we do, but cannot let us into Heaven unless we have settled our account with Him. God kept loving His people in the Old Testament no matter how many times they turned against Him, disobeyed, or walked away. He’s there for us, too.
Secure. God’s love is secure in that it is and always has been His choice to protect, keep and eternally bless those who are in Christ Jesus. Security is a very important aspect for most of us in today’s world. We want to know and feel that we are safe where we live, work, shop, attend church, etc. Knowing that God’s love is secure brings a great measure of comfort for us, knowing that His love will always be there for us no matter what.
“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
No separation. Do you remember the first time you and your parent OR you and your child got separated in a crowd? Panic probably set in, not knowing where the other person was nor if/when you would see them again. Absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God. He always has His eyes on us and knows right where we are and watches out for us. The verse above lists all kinds of things that could separate us from other people but none of that can ever separate us from God and His love. He has overcome all of that and made sure that none of it stands in the way of His love for us.
Another characteristic of God’s love for us coming up in the next post.
PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, thank You that Your love is eternal, that I don’t have to worry about it disappearing or ending. Thank You for Your love for me and Your provision of Your only Son that made eternal life possible for all who come to You.
- Week 1 – temptation
- Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
- Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
- Week 4 – God’s love for us
- Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
- Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
- Easter – resurrection and salvation