His Steadfast Love Endures Forever (Psalm 118:2-7)

My eight year old son has been reading his bible, a chapter a day. He started in Genesis and is steadily making his way to Revelation.

The other day we were sitting on the couch reading quietly, when he turned to me from his chapter in the Old Testament and said, “I don’t understand why God put up with it. They kept doing the things He said not to, and He kept forgiving them.”

I too have wondered. How could God be so patient… so forgiving… so merciful? And not just forgiving of small mistakes. No… patient with those who were willfully disobedient. Merciful to people selfishly seeking their own gain.

Kind of like us.

Even more amazing? His steadfast love lasts forever.

This is the covenant love that brought Jesus to earth. This is the everlasting love that made a way for us to enter into an eternity of fellowship with God.

It is difficult for us to grasp this kind of love. My son’s response is more intuitive, isn’t it? People do bad things, they get punished.

Forgiveness is not natural, it is supernatural.

I’ll confess, there are days even now when I lose my head a little, when I forget that our heavenly Father’s love is steadfast and endures forever. Instead I wonder when He is going to punish me for my most recent selfish choice.

Yet I only have to look a little farther along in Psalm 118 to be reminded:

• I can call on the Lord any time (v. 5)
• He will answer me! (v. 5)
• He sets me free (v. 5) Glory alleluia!
• He is on my side (v. 6)
• I do not need to fear (v. 6)
• Man can do nothing to me (v. 6) that will separate me from His love
• The Lord helps me (v. 7)

God knows we will be afraid. He knows we need help. He does not leave us in bondage, slaves to our fears and sin.

Are you feeling bound, all tied up in knots today? Do you find yourself at the mercy of your guilt, and afraid of God’s righteous anger?

Remember this, dear believer:

 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Psalm 103:8

You are His child. (Galatians 3:26) Your Father “redeems your life from the pit… crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” (Psalm 103:4)

Do you think that you can’t be loved by God? It is hard to grasp, but there is nothing you can do to end His love for you.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

You can choose to walk in disobedience. You can choose to reject His love. But He is not going to give up on you.

Every moment of every day you have the chance for a new beginning. Turn to the Lord right now and He will set you free! (Psalm 104:5)

Beloved, forever is a long time. And that is how long God will love you.