PSALM 136:1 – Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever
THEME OF THE DAY. OUR PLACE OF SECURITY, REST, AND CONFIDENCE. Psalm 136 is an amazing Psalm. Please make it a steady diet in your spiritual walk. Even memorize it. It will prove its worth over and over when life gets really tough, overwhelming, and you want to just pull the blanket over your head in the morning and let the world go on without you.
The Psalm is not lengthy. It is only twenty-six verses in length, but it is the most unique of all the Psalms. Every verse ends with the words “For His steadfast love endures forever.” With such repetition, it seems like the Lord is saying to us, “Yes, I really do love you. You don’t need to doubt that when life is hard and you don’t sense My presence. I really do love you with an everlasting and eternal love. And I will make that point very clear. I will repeat myself twenty-six times so that you may begin to believe me.” Have you ever spoken as a parent or received from a parent these warning words, “Listen. I don’t want to have to repeat myself”? Those sometimes come out when as a child or our children seem somewhat “disengaged” (disobedient) when told to do something. These words from the Lord are not warnings, but affirmations to us who sometimes need to be reminded when our sin seems greater than His grace, the devil is raking us across the coals of our always failing Christian life, and our conscience reminds us how unlike Christ we really are.
In looking at these words, “For His steadfast love endures forever”, there are at least two things to encourage our daily walk with the Lord. First, the truth that God’s love is steadfast. This means He isn’t moody or deals with us according to our conduct – good or bad. The word “steadfast” means “unfailing, never wavering, unchanging, faithful.” How does that help us in the daily life of walking as a Christian? In every way. Friend, when we fall flat on our spiritual faces due to disobedience, spiritual neglect, or tolerating sin, God doesn’t suddenly say, “No more love. No more grace. You have tried My patience too much. I will find a more obedient person to shower My love upon.” Not at all. God is love. God is steadfast love and He will never change being that and acting that way toward us. However, there is a catch. There really is. If we find ourselves rejoicing in this truth but not becoming more determined to obey Him; more resolved to be holy; more committed to His church and people; more desirous for heaven and complete holiness, we are not getting it. God’s steadfast love known always produces a life of aggressive and compassionate obedience to Him and longing for Him. It that is absent, we don’t the transforming power of His love, despite a profession that we do. His steadfast love for us moves us to a more steadfast love in return toward Him.
The second help from this steadfast love of the Lord in the Christian life is in the words “endures forever.” It means nothing can overcome it. It means there is no person or relationship, as difficult as it may seem, that may not be healed, restored, and endured. There will be no situation, circumstance, relationship, trial, grief, sorrow, affliction, or loss that has the ability to take away the soothing and strengthening power of God’s steadfast love toward us (Romans 8:37-39).
As life unfolds with its many twists and turns, and many of them unpleasant and painful, there is one place of security, rest and confidence that will never fail us. It is in the steadfast love of the Lord. And He means it. Psalm 136 affirms it over and over that He really does love us with a steadfast love that endures forever.
PRAYER: “Father, I cannot express with words the gratitude I have for Your unfailing, steadfast love.”
QUOTE: “The steadfast love of the Lord is the only safe harbor to steer our souls in life’s many storms.”