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. Psalm 136:1-44
Early morning on the patio. The sun’s early light bathes the shrubs and trees in a beautiful glow, the birds chirp loudly around me to greet the dawn, and the hummingbirds whir as they hover over their feeder. My Bible is open to Psalm 136. The glory of a new day announces the steadfast love of the Lord. Far in the distance, the cacophonous noise of engines, horns, and sirens telegraph the clamor and chaos of a man-made world that knows very little of His steadfast love.
Verse two beckons me to give thanks to the “God of gods” and the “Lord of lords.” Those gods and lords refer to the corrupt principalities that once belonged to His household but rebelled against Him. According to Deuteronomy 32, Yahweh disinherited humanity at the tower of Babel, divided them up into language groups and nations, and placed them under the rule of their gods – the evil lieutenants of Satan. Ever since that fateful event, the evil princes have been building a world that is hostile to God and estranged from His steadfast love.
But not us. Through faith in Christ and His atonement, we have been restored to know it and be enveloped by it every day. According to Ephesians 3:14-19, He works in our inner being to give us strength so we may comprehend how vast it is. Apparently, our puny hearts need supernatural help to figure out how much God loves us!
Psalm 136 draws a link between His steadfast love and His incomparable power. It lists an impressive array of mighty deeds, from creation to Israel’s miraculous rescue from Egypt, and mentions each of them as an expression of God’s love. One gets the impression that there is nothing wishy-washy about the Father’s love. He does not express it by doting but by the wonders of creation and mighty acts of deliverance – the mightiest being that He became one of us and died on the cross for our sins so we may know His love. True love is not for sissies.
That is good news. One of the great blessings of being a Christian is a relationship with a strong Father. His love is strong, and, moreover, it is steadfast. There is nothing fickle about Him. His love is not just words with an occasional act on our behalf when it suits Him. No. Once a promise, always a promise. There is no going back and no wavering on keeping His promises to us. When He says He is with us, He is with us – always and without absence. When He promises strength, He delivers – not once in a while, but every time we call on HIm. When He promises to provide for our needs, we may be sure to never lack anything. And so on.
That patio scene reminds me of that. It is there every morning. The birds are there, and the day dawns without fail. They proclaim steadfastness. The chaos in the background is there too, but it bespeaks a world that is devoid of steadfast love. It’s every man for himself out there, and you can’t truly rely on anybody. It’s a world ruled by the father of lies and hate – the antitheses of steadfast truth and love.
And because things in that world are heating up and the hate and lies are becoming more intense by the day, we need to know the comfort of God’s steadfast love. He does not spare us the trials and tribulations of that world, nor are we excused from participation in the battle against its gods and lords. But His steadfast love undergirds us with strength and ensures that nothing we suffer goes to waste and instead turns it into spiritual profit. All we need to do is to faithfully seek Him and draw near.
When I look inside myself, I find no steadfast love in my human heart, and when I look around in the world in which I live, I certainly don’t find any. So I am greatly encouraged, warmed, comforted, and delighted by the truth that God’s love for us is steadfast. I hope you are too. Give thanks to Him today, for His steadfast love for you endures forever.