Several years ago Country Singer Garth Brooks recorded a song called “If tomorrow never comes.”
When it first came out I really hadn’t thought much about the lyrics but I did enjoy the music and the way he sung it. Many people are like me. They get so wrapped up in the tune and the sound that sometimes the lyrics just pass over our head.
“If tomorrow never comes will she know how much I loved her,” is only one line in this beautifully written love song. The emotion that this song is presented with should be a wakeup call for all of us, especially if we are married, have children, or blessed to have other family members.
My wife and I have been married over four decades and are close to our fifth. From our first night together until today I hope that she understands and feels the love I have for her. We have four children and ten grandchildren and it is our hope that the love we have for them will be a reminder of what families are all about. Love for each other is the glue that holds families together and the family unit is what makes the world strong and a better place to live in.
First Corinthians 13 is known as the “Love” chapter in the Bible. It is one of my favorites and love is explained in full detail what love is and what love is not. In John 3:16 we see the limitless boundaries of love that God has for us. In 1 Timothy 1:5 it reads, “Now the purpose of this commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith…”
For those of us that have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior pure love is more understandable even toward those that despise us. Worldly love is built on greed and lust and the ending effects can be devastating.
I am not saying that anyone that doesn’t know Jesus cannot love because they certainly can. They can have a true earthly love but when tomorrow comes and one of them is not there is that love going to continue?
Many will say it can and I hope it does but do they have the hope of seeing their love one in eternity?
My wife and I tell each other “I love you” every day and through both of us having Jesus in our hearts, we will always be together throughout eternity. The same goes for our children, grandchildren, and other family members that know Christ and believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God.
A final verse in the song gives us an example of how we are going to feel if we do show our love to those around us. It reads, “'Cause I've lost loved ones in my life, who never knew how much I loved them, now I live with the regret, that my true feelings for them never were revealed; so I made a promise to myself, to say each day how much she means to me, and avoid that circumstance, where there's no second chance to tell her how I feel.”
Live today with no regrets. Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior and understand the peace and love that only He can give. Tell your spouse, your children, your family, your friends, your neighbors, and anyone that you are close to about the love of Jesus for them and that you love them also.
Gary Andrews' devotional appears each week on the Church Pages of your Clarksdale Press Register. You can contact him at GARY@gadevotionals.com
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