SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1207

“His Steadfast Love”

Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. – Psalm 136:26

Stop for a moment and slowly reread our reference Scripture verse. Contemplate what the word ‘steadfast’ means.

Steadfast: Loyal, Steady, Abiding, Faithful, True, Changeless, Dependable, and Never-failing.

If you doubt or have ever doubted God’s love for you know that it is a lie from the enemy of your soul. God’s steadfast love for you is eternal. From before you were born, He knew you and loved you and He has not ceased to love you. That is steadfast love.

We love because he first loved us; Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. – 1 John 4:19; Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:16

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22-23

But you ask, how can God love me when I have sinned so much? The answer to that question is why Jesus Christ came to live, die for our sins, and be resurrected to eternal life. That is how strong the steadfast love of God is that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. – John 3:15

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends; For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 15:13; John 3:16

In this world our willful sins can sometimes bring unpleasant consequences and we begin to doubt God’s love for us as we endure the difficulty. Again, focus on the Truth of God’s Word about His steadfast, unchanging, never-failing love for you and know that His discipline is for your good and the good of others.

My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son whom he receives.” – Hebrews 12:5-6

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. – Psalm 86:15

Because of God’s steadfast love for us the gift of eternal life through Jesus is available to all who believe in Him.

Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? “And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” – Acts 16:31

No matter who you are or what you have done, may you never doubt the immeasurable, dependable, never-failing steadfastness of God’s love for you.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. – Psalm 107:1-3

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. – 2 Thessalonians 3:5