(1 Corinthians 13:13) And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.

These words, from the Apostle Paul, are at the end of what has been called the love chapter.  If you think about it, of the three: faith, hope and love, only love will remain in eternity.  Faith is about believing in God.  When we are constantly in his presence faith will not be required.  Likewise, hope will be fulfilled when all of God’s plan is accomplished.  What will endlessly remain is love.

I often write about God’s love for us because love is the guiding factor in Jesus’ coming to earth to redeem us.  The Apostle John points this out with his statement in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  And again, in his first letter John writes, “Dear friends, Let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7&8)

I wholly believe that God created the heavens and the earth because of his love; and in his love, he made his eternal plan for us.  When all is said and done, God’s pure and eternal love will be continually over his children.  Here in the world, we have just a taste of God’s love; but when we are with him in heaven, his love will be the atmosphere that surrounds us, and it will never end.