A True Love Story

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:1-14

Do you find love stories irresistible? I do! A good romance includes laughter, joy, heart ache, and of course, love. If you enjoy a good romance, then grab a cup of coffee or tea and keep reading. You’re in for a treat!

This story begins in the 1940’s, a time in our history when young men from across America left the comforts of home to serve in World War II. The prospect of leaving for war must have been terrifying, but one young man named Ken Jensen found comfort in receiving letters from his hometown in western Minnesota. When letters arrived from a certain young lady named Lillian, they were especially sweet!

As Ken and Lil’s letters traveled back and forth across the miles, an intimate friendship began. That friendship grew into love and Ken and Lil were married on July 19, 1946. Their love story continued as they raised five children together. Life wasn’t always easy, but their commitment to each other and love for God helped them navigate the joys and trials of life.

During a typical wedding ceremony, most people repeat the vows, “For better or worse, in sickness and in health, ‘till death do us part.” Most of us cannot imagine the “worse” part or the “sickness” part unless it becomes reality. Ken and Lil experienced both health and sickness. However, with God’s strength, even the adversity of illness could not diminish their love.

Lil suffered from memory loss during the later years of her life. Sometimes she would remember her children and Ken when they came to visit, but eventually her memory slipped farther and farther away. Even Lil’s fading memory couldn’t weaken Ken’s love for her. In the three years that Lil was in a memory care center, Ken visited her faithfully every day except three, and that was because he was too sick to leave the house.

He loved her with his whole heart until the day she died at age 86. I had the privilege of witnessing this love story since Ken and Lil are my grandpa and grandma. As I watched my grandpa lovingly care for his wife of 65 years until the day she met Jesus, a thought entered my mind, “Oh, to be loved like that.”

My next though was, “I am loved like that!” In Jeremiah 31:3, the LORD says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” The LORD loves us in a love story for the ages! As much as I witnessed a beautiful example of love between my grandpa and grandma, my Heavenly Father loves me even more than my earthly mind can imagine.

With our limited human minds, we think we know what love is. Our heart melts as we watch a romantic movie or experience the emotions earthly love can bring. But to be loved with an everlasting love? To think that God draws us with loving-kindness? It’s beyond what our minds can fathom. Now that’s a true love story!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us with an everlasting love. Thank you for showing us what true love is by sending Your son Jesus to earth as a sacrifice for our sins. Thank you for giving us our very own love story.