We are all familiar with John 3:16 as we should be, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (NLT) and though this is undeniable proof of God’s love for all people, He has been protesting His love for over thousands of years with several verses in Scripture that corroborate God’s everlasting love for His people.
One such verse, Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV) reads,
The Lord appeared
to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I
have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
While this chapter is directed to Israel, it is relevant to
all people even today. It is a declaration of God’s love for His people and
reveals His heart towards us as He continues to draw all of us to Himself with unfailing kindness.
God’s love is not temporary. His love is not dependent on
what we do. He is faithful in His love even when we are unfaithful in our love
of Him.
This chapter in Jeremiah is a promise of the complete
restoration of a people who, after God had redeemed them from bondage in Egypt
and provided for them throughout their sojourn in the desert, defied Him by
breaking the covenant He had made with them. They were rebellious at best and
suffered punishment for it yet God, with an everlasting love, turned their
mourning into gladness and gave them comfort and joy instead of
sorrow.
Sometimes we, like the Israelites of old, cut ourselves off from
the intimacy of God when we deem ourselves unworthy of His love because of sin,
with its resulting guilt and shame.
We turn away from God, believing the lies that we tell
ourselves, the lies that others tell us and the lies we hear from the world
around us, and we cling to those things and those people who we hope will satisfy
our need for the love we crave but no matter how hard we hold on to the what
and the who, we are still left wanting.
But there is a new covenant to which we are bound, fulfilled
by the One Who suffered punishment for all the sin of the entire world which
includes yours and mine.
Your story hasn’t ended; sin, guilt and shame do not define
you. God is pursuing you, but you just won’t allow Him to catch up. He is calling
out to you by name, longing for you to turn back, see Him and hear Him saying
to you,
“I have loved you with
an everlasting love”
Beloved, God’s desire for an intimate relationship with you is
evident, His expression of love for you cannot be denied, He longs to draw you to
Himself. Won’t you open your heart to receive His love, an everlasting love
like no other? You mean everything to God.
As you make your way through this Lenten season, remember
God’s deep love for you, not the sin, not the guilt, not the shame, instead get
ready to be fully loved just as you are, look back and turn back to Him calling
out “Here I am! Ready to receive Your everlasting love.”
Amen †
Shelley Johnson “An Everlasting Love” ©2026 February 18,
2026
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