“If Nothing is Forever, What’s Forever For?”

The words in this older Country-Western song speak about relationships needing to, but not, lasting forever. It is a difficult song for me to relate to personally because my most serious and important human relationship began at eighteen years of age and lasted for sixty-six consecutive years. The love which enriched and maintained it caused many changes and challenges and is not dead just because he, my husband, the object of my affection, no longer occupies any physical space beside me. He closed his eyes to take a nap two years ago, on April 1st, and woke up in glory, breathing celestial air. I remain in this “grace space,” and the love developed through those sixty-six years gives no indication of imminent death or dying, only making way for a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of the man.

My conclusion is that something does last forever: it is called the love of God. Someone said love is a mystery and I agree. It is a mystery because it is so inclusive, from loving a sunrise to the moon shining on the water, from the lofty to the lowly, it’s called love.

God is love, and God is from everlasting to everlasting, forever.

“Could we with ink the ocean fill

And were the skies of parchment made

Were every stalk on Earth a quill

And every man a scribe by trade

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry

Nor could the scroll contain the whole

Though stretched from sky to sky

Oh love of God, how rich and pure

How measureless and strong

It shall for evermore endure

The saints’ and angels’ song”

Hymn: “Love of God,” by Frederick M. Lehman