The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with everlasting love; therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you. – Jeremiah 31:3
Among the myriad of scenes that crowd the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, one has received the title “The Creation of Adam.” In it, the fingertip of God reaches out to touch the fingertip of Adam, symbolizing giving Adam the gift of life.
However, when you take another look, God, as the artist depicted Him, is not just extending his hand toward Adam, His muscles are taught as He appears to strain from the angelic courts of heaven to reach a man who appears almost disinterested. Though it would take very little effort from the man to lift his languid body and grasp the hand of the Lord, a distance remains. It is the perfect representation of the condition of humanity: God reaching out, giving everything He has, to touch humankind, and the response is weak ambivalence.
The prophet Jeremiah reminds you in today’s verse that God’s love is everlasting. It is eternal. It is loyal. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is the story of God’s unending love. His love is demonstrated to you each day.
God’s love is overwhelming and all-consuming. Pastor Rick Ezell says, “There is nowhere we can go to escape His love.
We will encounter no problem that is not touched by His love. … Even when our world falls apart, we can cry, ‘God, I don’t know why this is happening. I don’t understand it, but I’m sure glad to know you love me!’” Importantly, Paul confirms that nothing can ever separate you from God’s love in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39).
In that Sistine Chapel painting, God reaches out to an individual. It is the same today. His love extends to all, but it also extends to each. His love is personal and requires a personal response. The proof of His love is the gift of His Son Jesus, who died to rescue your life for eternity (Romans 5:8). Grasp the hand of God extended toward you.
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