Steadfast Love ---- Psalm 36

How precious is our steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house, and you
Give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psalm 36:7-9

“Steadfast love” – I suppose when I hear that phrase I always wonder, “Is it really?” Many people call it “unconditional love” like the love of a mother for her child. Yet, there seems to be something more in that term steadfast. Yet, still I wonder, is it really?

Whether it was true or not, I thought I had to “measure up” in order to receive my parent’s love. Of course, they were obligated to love me to a certain degree simply because they were my parents, goes with the territory, but to get the full load, it required some extra doing.

As one might expect, I carried that over to my own children, perhaps in a different form. Yes, I love them without reservation. Yet, I find it hard to love them without “judgment”. Some of that stems from the fact that I was a long-distance dad. That is, through divorce, my relationship with my children was via phone, short-term visits, cards and letters. Consequently, I had little input into the early development of their decision-making abilities. That is by no means castigation toward their mothers, just an observation. So now, when my children make what “I think” is a poor decision, naturally I feel perhaps I could have influenced a better decision had I “been there” in the formative years.

Now I know how ridiculous that sounds, but that’s how I feel – so I deal with that.

Naturally, I make that same transfer to God. If I do that with my children, then surely God must do that with me. Yes, He loves me unconditionally, BUT…..each time I make a poor decision, each time I choose incorrectly, each time I ….God must have some holding back, it’s only natural.

That’s just the point, it is NOT NATURAL. There is nothing “natural” about God’s steadfast love! It is just that steadfast – firm, fixed, constant! The English language does not have words that convey the stability, strength, and eternal stamina of a word like “steadfast”. We just can’t do it, because we can’t do it. It’s a GOD thing. As much as we would like to think otherwise, only God’s love is truly steadfast.

It is so hard for me to get my arms around that sometimes. I want to. I need to. I just can’t always seem to.

Father, somehow let me move the understanding of your steadfast love from my head to my heart. Let me be able to wrap my arms around the fact that your arms are always wrapped around me – always. Then let me pass that on. In Jesus name, I pray. May it be.