Everlasting love

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. – Jeremiah 31v3

The word ‘love’ is an interesting one. It is a shame that we only have one word for love in English. We miss a lot of the nuances of the Bible languages and I don’t know enough about them to dig them out. I do know that in English love can mean anything from ‘I love bacon and cabbage’ to ‘I love my wife’ to ‘I love God.’

Maybe that is why God said this the way He did. ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love.’

The Hebrew word here apparently refers to a deep love, like that of a man for his wife. I think that is why Paul writes about the relationship between husband and wife as a picture of the relationship between Christ and His church.

Though society has redefined marital love, and some countries are even allowing short term marital contracts, God view of marital love hasn’t changed. It is a choice that is supposed to last ‘as long as ye both shall live.’

The great thing is that God’s everlasting live is that it does last forever. It is not hampered by human frailties and weaknesses. God loves with an everlasting love and that love allows His to reach out to draw people to Him.

I am glad that He loves with an everlasting love. I certainly don’t deserve it. I want my life to reflect that kind of love to those in my life as well.