His Steadfast Love

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
            His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
            His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
            His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1-3

I love ice cream!

I love that song!

I love that show, it's my favorite.

I love it when it snows!

But mom. . . I love him.

I love shopping. . . .running. . . .sleeping. . . .

I love _______________.

We throw around the word "love" much too easily.  I have no concept of real love; God's love.  His love does not shift like the sand dunes in the desert, there today and moved on somewhere else tomorrow.  His love is not shallow.  His love is not fair.  God is love. 

If I want to know about love, real love, I must get to know God.  And the only way to get to know God is through faith in Jesus who restores my relationship with this God of love.  As my relationship with God grows, my understanding of love will grow.

Neverending

I remember as a child, standing out in my backyard and trying to imagine what infinity looks like.  I had just learned in school that there are an infinite amount of numbers, and I could count forever and never get to the end.  The concept of infinity blew my mind.  Everything I saw around me had a beginning and an end so I could not relate perpetuity to anything I knew. 

God's love falls into this same category.  His love is like space. . . it goes on forever and ever.  David wrote about this love in Psalm 103: 8 and 11 (NLT).  He said, "The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. . .For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth."

I cannot measure the love of God, just as I could not comprehend the infinite nature of numbers as an elementary student.  All I need to know, however, is that His love will never come to an end. 

Never Absent

I remember the year we moved from our rental house to the housing on Ft Bragg, North Carolina.  It had taken us two years to work our way to the top of the waiting list.  During that period of time, we had established ourselves in a congregation at one of the Army Chapels.  I told my friends at choir rehearsal one night that we'd be moving soon and everyone said they would help us.  I was so glad to know we wouldn't have to do it by ourselves.  But when the day to move came, no one showed up. . . the help could not be counted on. 

In contrast, God's love can always be counted on!  Paul described it this way in Romans 8:37-39.  "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

As I grow in my relationship with God, I learn how much His love never fails me.  I can count on His never-absent love.

Never Conditional

Human love is conditional; there's always a deal-breaker. . .which may explain the high rate of divorce in this day and age.

It is in my nature to give up on someone I love when they hurt me in some way that I think I can't forgive.  Thankfully, God does not love in this same way!  David described this characteristic of God's love in Psalm 103:9-10, 12-13(NLT). 

"He will not constantly accuse us,
      nor remain angry forever.
  He does not punish us for all our sins;
      he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.. . .

He has removed our sins as far from us
      as the east is from the west.
  The LORD is like a father to his children,
      tender and compassionate to those who fear him."

God's love is not based on my performance or my worthiness.  God's love is.   It simply exists as a part of His character and He cannot go against who He is.  In fact, "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8)

God's love does not appear when I do something good and disappear when I mess up.  God's love is never conditional.


As I grow closer to God and learn to respect and honor Him as the Supreme Being who created all things, I learn about His astounding love.  His love has no end, will never let me down, and is not based on my deeds.  God's love never fails!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can surrender myself to this God of love.

How do I use the word "love" too lightly, minimizing the power behind the word?

Where do I fail to allow God's love to pass through me, resulting in a conditional, fickle and shallow brand of love to show instead?