The Lord is good and His love endures forever - Ps. 100:5

Have you ever considered what "forever" kind of love looks like?  I have a hard time grasping "forever" in this instant communication world we live in.  I have such great love for my family and yet I know death will one day separate us in some way for some time.  I think one of the Bible's best pictures of the intensity of "forever" love is the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32.  It is the story of a man and his two sons...one was reckless and ungrateful and squandered his inheritance.  The other son stayed home to work...probably a bit resentful.  When the wayward son finally was at the bottom (literally in a pig pen), he repented and went home to beg his father's forgiveness...which was quickly granted and celebrated!  Their father is a picture of our Father in Heaven...the One who loves us with a "forever" kind of love.  He waits for us to finally recognize the futility of our own desires and to return to Him.

Some precious friends many years ago gave us a copy of the Rembrandt painting, Return of the Prodigal Son.  Occasionally I look at it to see what that fierce kind of love looks like.  Here is an image of the original painting:

This son, who looked in all the wrong places for his joy, found it in coming back to his father and repenting.  Look at the fierceness of his father's love...there is nothing separating the two...NOTHING.  The father's gentle and deep love for his son let go of all the past hurt...he had been loving this son all along.  Our Father in Heaven says: "I have loved you with an everlasting love..." (Jer. 31:3)...He has loved us with a forever love from before we were even born.  Why, oh why, do we look to "a distant country" or "wild living" instead of to the Father who awaits us with open arms?

Henri Nouwen wrote a book on this passage entitled A STORY OF HOMECOMING.  He says about this kind of "forever" love:

It is the fountain of all true human love,

even the most limited.  Jesus' whole life and preaching

had only one aim: to reveal this inexhaustible, unlimited

motherly and fatherly love of his God and to show the

way to let that love guide every part of our daily lives.

Peace came to the earth in the form of Jesus Christ.  He gave His life that we might have life with His Spirit and that we might be able to bear fruit for Him today...and have "forever" love with Him in eternity.

What stops you today from receiving that peace?  "The Lord is good and His love endures forever", truly!

For further study:  Exodus 20:6, Numbers 14:18, Psalm 32:10, Isaiah 54:10, Lamentations 3:22, Romans 5:5-8, Romans 8:38-39, Ephesians 2:4-5, 1 John 5:15-16.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,

Holly