A Love
without End, Amen!
Steve W. Reeves
It is
interesting to compare the Old and New Testament’s description of God. In the
Old Testament God is referred to as “Father” of Israel or of certain
individuals only fifteen
times.
In the New Testament the description of God as Father is found frequently. Jesus referred to God as Father 65 times in the
synoptic (Matthew, Mark and Luke) gospels, and over 100 times in John. The word
Jesus used for “Father” was the Aramaic word, “Abba” expressing a loving,
intimate relationship. Elsewhere in the New Testament the word for Father is
the Greek word, “Pater.” Both “Abba” and “Pater” give us an idea of the close
relationship God longs to have with us.
God’s
love is unconditional. It is not performance based. He does not love you one
minute and stop loving you the next minute. He doesn’t love you more if you do
the right thing. He doesn’t love you less if you do the wrong thing. In Jeremiah
31:3 the prophet said, “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have
loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.’”
Later Jeremiah would proclaim, that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
(Lamentations 3:22-23).
One of
country singer George Strait’s hit songs is, “A Father’s Love,” recorded in
1990. The chorus says: “Let me tell you a secret, about a fathers love, A
secret that my daddy said was just between us. He said, ‘daddies don’t just
love their children every now and then. It's a love without end, Amen.’” The
song was written by Aaron Barker, who told the story behind the words. His
teenage son had started driving and been given strict rules about where he
could drive and who could ride with him. One night the son broke the rules and
was involved in an accident. A wheel came off the car and landed on the hood of
a brand new Porsche. After he had severely disciplined his son Barker thought
of his own father’s discipline and how his father later reassured him of his love.
It was then that the words of the song fell into place.
I hope
you have the opportunity to thank your earthly father today for his love. My
greater hope is that you will thank your Heavenly Father for His “love without
end, Amen!”
