Ask someone for a list of favorite romantic stories and Gone with the Wind may be near the top. Ever since Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh immortalized Margaret Mitchell’s epic tale, millions of moviegoers have wondered how Scarlett O’Hara could have resisted Rhett Butler’s charm so long, then trampled on his heart so cruelly.

And yet she did. For most of the story, Scarlett rebuffs Rhett’s attempts to win her love. Then, when necessity compels her to accept his marriage proposal, she still remains blind to the depth of his love. Not until he reaches the breaking point and walks out on her does she recognize that she loves him—too late, though, to reclaim what she lost.

The love of one human being for another can die. And too often we transfer that human weakness to God. We assume that, like Rhett, God will grow tired of putting up with our resistance to His love and walk away from us—never looking back.

Yet the Bible proclaims again and again that God’s love is eternal and unchangeable. Consider these verses:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end.” Lamentations 3:22 (ESV)

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)

Of course the greatest demonstration of God’s love is Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Don’t miss the key phrase “while we were still sinners.” God is fully aware of just how broken we are, and He loves us anyway. That’s why He sent Jesus, and that’s why Jesus was willing to come. There is no other way to mend our brokenness and restore our fellowship with Him but to admit our sinfulness and accept His gift of unconditional love.

This Easter I pray that God will reveal the depth of His eternal, unconditional love for you and your loved ones. He’ll never walk out on you. He’ll never abandon them. That’s the greatest love story of all time.