Everlasting Love

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”  (Jer 31: 3)

   These words of the prophet Jeremiah were meant to reassure the Israelites that God would continue to love them and would restore them to their place as the chosen people of God.

   They are just as applicable to you and me today.  God’s love is eternal; He will continue to love us regardless of our sins and failings.  When we turn back to Him our faults will be forgiven and forgotten.

   There are people who perceive God to be a vengeful God just waiting for the chance to punish.  Rather, He is a loving God waiting for sinners to seek forgiveness and to amend their lives.  He takes great delight in forgiving and forgetting our sins.  The angels rejoice at the repentance and salvation of a sinner.

   The punishment people attribute to God is instead attributable to us; the result of freely choosing to turn from Him and live a sinful life.  Whatever punishment we may experience is the result of our own choices rather than the will of God.  And yet, at the very last second of one’s life God is still there to forgive and forget, opening the doors of heaven even to those who have lived sinfully should they turn to Him.

   There is great comfort in the knowledge of God’s eternal love.  His desire to forgive our sins and welcome us into His family gives hope for eternal life with Him.  The choice is ours to make; we can’t place the blame on God if we refuse to acknowledge Him and accept His love.  We must take responsibility for our own decisions realizing that true love and justice require punishment for wrong-doing.  Our God is all loving and all merciful; we need only seek Him and ask His forgiveness.

    “Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.” (Jer 31: 6)