“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 31:3

What beautiful testimonies to hear of couples who have been married for fifty, sixty, and seventy years or more, and they readily share that love has kept them together regardless of what life circumstances have brought. How exciting to hear a spouse say she or he is the same seventeen- or eighteen-year-old that they fell in love with all those years ago. Love comes from within and not from without…but our Great and Almighty God has promised us a love that is inseparable and exceeds our greatest human emotion…it is an everlasting love!

The Prophet Jeremiah brought a message of hope and love to the nation of Israel, which had backslidden from the covenant that was made between them and God. In the message, God reminded His children that He is the same God who made the covenant of promise with their forefathers. They needed to understand that His love was not temporary and manifested merely to a single generation, but an everlasting love that continues throughout all generations. “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 31:3.

Over two thousand years later, whether you have an old love or are looking for love, know that God’s love is everlasting. God’s love far exceeds any other emotion we can humanly experience. To understand this, consider that love is defined in four distinct forms in scripture: the Greek words Eros, Storge, Philia, and Agape, exemplifying romantic love, familial love, brotherly love, and God’s divine love.

Agape love is perfect, unconditional, sacrificial, and pure. It is God’s immeasurable, incomparable love for humankind. So, how can we experience God’s agape love? Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. “He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” John 21:17. Peter answered from the perspective of storge and philia love or family and brotherly love, but Jesus spoke from agape love. Peter did not yet understand the capacity to share the divine love of God, which He would receive through the power of the Holy Ghost.

My dear friends, all the beloved children of God, as new creatures in Christ, have received the Holy Ghost who lives within our hearts. We are able to experience His divine love and share it with others; John 4:7 states, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”

This is good news! We are loved with an everlasting love, and absolutely nothing can ever take His love away. No matter where we are, what we’ve done, or what we are experiencing in this life, God’s love and amazing grace covers and keeps us forever! “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39.

The Lord God Almighty is the Great I AM. Let us rest in the assurance that His enduring and unwavering love is faithful, even when we stray away. This love is not based on our human actions, but on His eternal nature. It offers comfort, peace, forgiveness, restoration, and salvation forever!

May God’s abundant blessings of comfort, peace, and everlasting love surround and sustain us now and always!