50 Years

​A couple weekends ago was my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary! Of course, we threw a big party to celebrate! My mom made 150 cupcakes that looked like flowers. We decorated with balloons and streamers. I had the privilege of making a locket and earring set for my grandpa to give as a gift to my grandma.  

I think about 50 years of loving and caring for someone, and I am so proud of my grandparents and grateful for the godly example they have set in their marriage.   

50 years... that's a long time... a very long time... a very, very long time. That's over twice the amount of time I've been alive. Can you imagine loving someone through thick and thin over a period of 50 years, and when you reach that 50th year, still loving them enough to celebrate that love with a ginormous party? I hope in this respect to one day follow in my grandparents' footsteps.

But now, think of 50 years in comparison to eternity, in comparison to forever, in comparison to infinite. 50 years all of a sudden becomes a miniscule amount of time when compared to time with no beginning and no end. 

Eternal, forever, infinite... that's the amount of “time” God has existed. There has never been “existence” without God. He has always been and always will be.

And eternal, forever and infinite is the amount of “time” God has loved you and me:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love." Jeremiah 31:3

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken..." Isaiah 54:10

God's love for us is truly eternal. There has never been and there never will be a lapse or break in His love for us. That's a promise.

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Even before we chose to have a relationship with God, even before we chose to love Him, even before we had said “Yes” to Him, God provided a way for all this to be possible. He didn't take a poll to determine how many people would reciprocate His love before deciding His course of action. In His love, God made it so we could live in His love, so we could be renewed by His love, return His love and reveal His love.  

“...because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2:4-5

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1

One of my favorite Scriptures about love is John 14:15, which says, “If you love Me, you will obey what I have commanded.”

This verse speaks of the transforming power that comes from having a love relationship with Jesus. That love causes a desire to serve Him and the power to do so. And that love enables us to love others and share Jesus' love with them.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” 1 John 3:16

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for out sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:10-11

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
​Ephesians 5:1

The Scripture verses I have shared are just a snippet of what God's Word has to say about His love. But I do hope they have encouraged you. God is love, and He loves you.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse that speaks of God's love? Please share!

The post 50 Years appeared first on The Overflowing.
All Scriptures taken from the NIV, 2011