What Lasts Forever?

Prayer – Lord. what lasts forever—except for Your love?

 

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:12-13

 

Meditate. Consider love, hope and faith.

 

The Three French Hens, of the Third Day of Christmas, symbolize the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. Charity is also known as love. It is the greatest of God’s gifts to us. To be accepted by others, to love and be loved is the basic driving of the human psychic. Think about all kinds of people around the world. Mothers generally have a basic instinct to love their offspring. How about a motorcycle “biker” or a Wall Street investment broker? He or she wants to be accepted by others in their group. Kids in school just want to be part of a group—and if they are not, it is likely they will cause trouble to be recognized—to get attention. Their thought and motivation might be, “Won’t someone accept me…just like me for who I am?” God accepts and love all mankind throughout the world—throughout history, but people have to respond to His love. Love does indeed make the world go around.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (Read the book of John.)

 

Faith is that belief in what is not seen. We cannot see God—but people around the world believe in a god of some type. The God of the Christians and the Jews has taught His followers that there is to be no other god before Him. Jesus is the only god who has died and been resurrected. That is a miracle. For me, it provides proof that He is God. The life of Jesus began with a miracle…and He Himself performed miracles from healing lepers, making the blind see, the lame walk, healing sick and raising people from death. No other gods have done what He has done. Although I cannot see God, I have faith and believe in Him.  That gives me hope. Hope for an eternal future with Him, just as He promised. Jesus told His disciples and us that there will be room for us in His Father’s home in Heaven. Again, although I cannot see into the future, I trust what He promised to be true.

Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 14:1-3

This promise of faith, hope and love lasts forever.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 1 Peter 1:3-5

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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