His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever.

to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;

the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;

the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever

(Psalm 136:1-9)

One of the most disconcerting situations you can ever find yourself in is to be lost. It’s not a situation that many of us deal with on a regular basis, given the availability of maps, smartphones and GPS systems. However, if you don’t have these tools and find yourself in unfamiliar territory, it can be quite scary. Whenever I think of famous explorers from history, I am amazed at the courage they displayed…driven to see what’s out there, not knowing where they were going, what they would find or even if they would ever return.

For those who were brave enough to make the journey, they needed some kind of fixed point to help them orient themselves and make sure that they were still headed in the right direction. For centuries, sailors used the stars and constellations, specifically the North Star and the Southern Cross, to help them navigate. The known, fixed position of these celestial bodies allowed them to continue their journey with confidence and gave them a reference point that they could check if they ever experienced a moment of doubt or uncertainty. Without these fixed points, calculating their heading and progress would have been infinitely more difficult if not impossible!

Like explorers, we can never be certain of where our lives will take us. We may have an idea of where we would like to end up but, many times, circumstances in our lives knock us off our intended course. Whether it’s the consequences of poor decisions that we’ve made, injustice suffered at the hands of others, or just bad luck, when that happens we can feel lost and disoriented. In those times, it is important that we have a fixed point, a foundational, bedrock principle or belief that helps us to regain our bearing.

For the Psalmist, that fixed point was the “steadfast love” of God that “endures forever.” Whatever life threw his way, he knew that he could depend on the unwavering love and mercy of God. It had been there from the very beginning, from the creation of the world, carefully crafted for our benefit and enjoyment. And God’s love remained evident in the many ways that he intervened in the lives of his people Israel. Everywhere he looked, the Psalmist saw the reality of God’s love manifested and it never changed. It would endure forever!

Unfortunately, we do not always feel God’s love in a real and palpable way. Sometimes our insecurities and the weight of our particular struggles prevent us from feeling in our hearts what we know to be true in our minds. In those times, we should meditate on the Lord — consider the nature and character of God — to reveal the truth of who He is, even if we’re not “feeling it.” God is not hiding himself or holding back from us. He is actively listening, speaking, protecting and comforting. It’s just who he is. We just have to trust that his steadfast love will endure a little longer…and it will!

PRAYER: Father, thank you for your unwavering love. When all else in our lives is a chaotic mess, we can return to the sure knowledge of your love for us. When we don’t know how things are going to turn out, we can rely on your complete sovereignty and the fact that you are actively working on our behalf. Thank you for being our North Star and helping us to keep our lives oriented in the right direction. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.