Forever

It means something that has no beginning and no end - it goes on and on without stopping, even when we can't imagine it anymore.

What are some times that seem to last forever? Waiting for Christmas to come. Waiting for a party to start. Waiting for school to end so you can go home and play. Being grounded from your favorite video game. Sitting through a boring movie. Waiting for test results. The last five minutes of a really hard math class.

But there are also times we wish could last forever. Summer vacation, so we can keep swimming and staying up late. Sleepovers with our best friends. Family game nights when everyone's laughing. The feeling when you finally understand something difficult. Hugs from people we love. Unfortunately, all good things in our earthly lives eventually come to an end. Even our favorite TV shows get cancelled, our pets grow old, and our friends sometimes move away.

Here's the amazing news: There is one "Forever" that is completely good and will never disappoint us. It belongs to God. Psalm 111 tells us that God's righteousness endures forever - that means God will always do what's right and just. He keeps his promises forever - every single promise God makes in the Bible will come true. His works are faithful and just forever - God never makes mistakes or acts unfairly. And here's the best part: He promises eternal life to those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Think about this: What's the longest you've ever kept a promise? A week? A month? Maybe a year? God has been keeping his promises for thousands of years, and he'll keep them for thousands more. When God says "forever," he really means it. We as Christians can take comfort in knowing that God's Forever is real and reliable. How do we know? It's written in God's Word, and God cannot lie.

This means that no matter what changes in your life - whether you move to a new school, lose someone you love, or face scary situations - God's love for you will never change. His plan for your life will never fail. And if you've accepted Jesus as your Savior, your relationship with God will last forever, even after your life on earth ends.

Let's think about how this changes how we live: If God keeps his promises forever, how should that affect the promises we make to others? If God's love never fails, how should we love our friends and family? Let's bow our heads in prayer. Dear God, thank you that your forever is bigger than anything we can imagine. No matter what happens in our lives, from now until the day we meet Jesus face to face, we can be joyful because you are with us and your promises never fail. Help us to trust in your forever love. Amen.