Tag Archives: Everlasting love

The everlasting Christmas gift of hope

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Everlasting Father

Everlasting. Eternal. Never changing. Forever the same.

 

Just as you and I like to take snapshots of our children when they are born, so the birth of baby Jesus is a snapshot in his life. But what is different about Jesus is that he has always existed. He was with God the Father when the worlds were created (and before). He lived on earth fully God and yet fully man. He lives forever, sitting at the right hand of His Heavenly Father, forever, for everlasting. This is the Jesus we worship at Christmas.

 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8  God’s love endures forever.

 

The everlasting nature of Jesus conveys stability, confidence, trust. Life brings turmoil and trouble. It shakes us. We are tempted to worry and despair. But our foundation and our refuge and strength is everlasting. God doesn’t change. When something is everlasting we can depend on it, trust it. We don’t have any frame of reference for this on earth. I think of mountains as being everlasting, but even they are sometimes shaken and moved. Only the Everlasting Father is unchanging. In him we can safely and securely place our hope.

 

We may hope for safe travels to a reunion. We may hope for a nice time with family and friends. We may hope for a nice present. We may hope for peace on earth.  But the children of the one true everlasting God, those who trust in his son, have “the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” (Titus 1:2) It is the Christmas gift of everlasting hope that is found at the feet of Jesus.

 

May Christmas fill you with such everlasting hope.

 

 

Everlasting Love

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It seems our human minds are unable to fully grasp the concept of eternity, that which has no beginning or end, that which has always and will always be. No fear, we will someday have some better comprehension of this when we step from this life to our eternal one.

Perhaps you have seen the illustration of a very long rope, one that realistically might expand the circumference of an auditorium where you sit. A rope which imaginably extends beyond the auditorium to encircle the entire building. In fact, imagine such a rope that proceeds to encircle every building in your town, and then every town in your state, and every state in your country, before it then crosses borders to do the same in every country of the world, every planet and moon in our solar system, and every galaxy in the universe…and beyond! That is a very long rope, but truthfully it just keeps on going without end.

And back in the auditorium where you sit, you notice in one spot on this rope there is tied a knot. It is not a very large knot. In fact, compared to the size of the rope, it might not be noticeable at all. And then it occurs to you…you are the knot and God is the rope with no beginning and no end. This small knot represents your entire life. Now your life may be 70 or 80 years long, maybe more. Even if it is 120 years, it is a small portion of the rope that spans the eternity that is God. And then you contemplate his words to you:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Ephesians 1:4

“I have loved you with an EVERLASTING love. I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

In this quiet moment you see your life in view of an eternal timeline you still cannot comprehend. But you realize that everything you do and think, and everyone whose life you touch has meaning. You can’t allow yourself to sink into self-pity, longing for what was, or bemoaning what is that discourages you now. All you can grasp is a gracious God who loves you with an everlasting love.

And in this “eternity moment” you determine how you will respond to such a love today, right now, and for a lifetime. You are loved and you are called to live a meaningful and satisfying life.

Not finished yet

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Have you ever felt like you’ve reached a dead-end on the path you felt called to follow? Like you started this journey with God, but now you’re looking around trying to figure out his plan for your next steps? You know he has a purpose for you but just now, it seems like it’s been side-lined?

God is never rushed. And even when it seems he is silent, he is actively working out his plan. Sometimes this involves orchestrating circumstances that must come together. Sometimes it involves other people who have not yet submitted their will to him or to the situation. Almost always it seems, he is waiting for our hearts to yield more fully to his, for us to listen for and respond to his voice.

God promises, “I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3) This is not the voice of one who calls you down a path only to abandon you! “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) I think about how he purposefully sought each of us out before we were seeking him. He sought us, he found us, he began a work that he will complete in us, as we wait in faith, trusting him to complete his work.

Rest in the satisfaction of knowing you have not been abandoned; you are not alone. The rest of the plan may be different than you expected, and it may take longer than you wanted to work it out. But God’s plan is a good plan. Don’t fret about the timing.
Instead, rest and enjoy his presence as you wait faithfully.