The LORD hath appeared of old unto me,
saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:
therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jeremiah 31:3 

 

 
 
Everlasting Love
 
 
It is once again Valentine's Week - that is the week that contains Valentine's Day, but the whole week seems to turn into a celebration every year. 
There are always the  check out lines at Wal-Mart filled with buggies filled with heart-shaped candies and stuffed bears holding hearts asking someone to "Be Mine."
There are floral delivery vans all about town filled with heart-shaped balloons happily bouncing as the vans roll along.  Inside too I imagine are bouquets of roses with "I Love You" cards tied carefully with pretty red ribbon on each vase waiting to be opened by someone's Valentine.  
Mixed in with the beautiful roses perhaps you might even find a daisy or two.   
The reason I mention daisies being mixed in with the roses is this. Monday as I observed all the Valentine's Day menagerie all around me I remembered a very old love song. 
The name of the song is...
 
I'll Give You A Daisy A Day Dear

He remembers the first time he met her
He remembers the first thing he said
He remembers the first time he held her
And the first tear he  saw her shed
He remembers her sweet way of saying'
"Honey has something gone wrong?"
He remembers the fun and the teasin'
And the reason he wrote her this song.

I'll give you a daisy a day
Dear I'll give you a daisy a day
I'll love you until the rivers run still
And the four winds we know blow away.

They would walk down the street in the evenin'
And for years I would see them go by
And their love that was more than the clothes that they wore
Could be seen in the gleam of their eye
As a kid, they would take me for candy
And I'd love to go taggin' along
We'd hold hands as we'd walk to the corner
And the old man would sing her his song.

I'll give you a daisy a day
Dear I'll give you a daisy a day
I'll love you until the rivers run still
And the four winds we know blow away.

Now he walks down the street in the evenin'
And he stops by the old candy store
And I somehow believe he's believing'
He's holdin' her hand like before
For he feels all her love walkin' with him
And he smiles at things she might say
Then the old man walks up to the hilltop
And gives her a daisy a day.

I'll give you a daisy a day
Dear I'll give you a daisy a day
I'll love you until the rivers run still
And the four winds we know blow away.
 
The song obviously made an impact on me because I still think of it every time I see daisies. It came out way back in the summer of 1974 when I was 15 years old. Funny I guess for a kid to cry over a sappy old love song, but I did. I think I just always hoped to find a love like the "old man" spoke of in the song.
He obviously loved his bride with a deep love that he tried to put into words she would understand.
I remember as a child telling my big sister I loved her that many and that many and that many, in other words, a lot, which I still do.  I remember telling my babies  I loved them forever and ever, which I still do.
We often use words to try to describe just how much we love our loved ones.
Even though it is nice to hear the words, our actions usually better show how much we truly love someone. 
Even though my sister and I are much older now I still hope she knows I love her that many and that many and that many. Even though I don't use those words anymore, I hope my actions show my love.
I still love my children forever and ever, even if I don't use those words as much as I did when they were little.
I hope my actions assure them of the love I will always have for them no matter how old they grow or how far away they go.
The old man in the song showed his true love how true his love was by caring for her and keeping his promise to her.  I believe he truly did give her a daisy every day.  I believe he truly loved her with a great love. 
However great a love you have for someone or how great a love they may have for you, there is a far greater love waiting for all of us. At the age of 15 when I listened to this song and longed for love, I didn't fully realize the love I already had.  Yes, it is nice to hear, experience, and see love, but
no man or woman can ever love us as much as our Great God.  He truly loves us that many and that many and forever and ever and until the rivers run still and the four winds blow away.
He is the Creator of roses and daisies and the rivers and the winds.
He loves us with an everlasting love.
He is love
God's Word is filled with words expressing His love of us over and over.
If we take the time to read the Word we can hear His love songs that He sings to us.
Not only can we hear God's love. We can feel God's love. Whenever we are lonely, He comforts us and cares for us.
But greatest of all, we can see God's love through His actions. He keeps His promises to us. God came to earth as man and died to save each of us so that we may have everlasting life.
There is no greater everlasting love than one which offers everlasting life.
Believe!
 
jbp