A Meditation On God’s Love
I’m here to write about the love of God. Believe me, I know that’s an unreasonable goal. The love of God is impossible to comprehend, much less to describe for you in words. I know my limitations.
How do you experience God’s love? Once in a while a deep, gut-knotting, tear-bringing, awe-inspiring experience of God’s love will wash over me. If I could share with you how those moments feel or even how they come about, I would, but they seem to be more about the work of the Holy Spirit than anything I do. And they seem greater than any words I can find.
The love of God is so huge, so multifaceted. You can’t grab it all at once, at least not this side of Heaven. So instead of reaching for the whole pie, let’s focus on just this piece: the endurance of His love. Sit still right here with me and meditate just on this.
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.4 to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights—His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.13 to him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.16 to him who led his people through the wilderness; His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings, His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings—His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan—His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel. His love endures forever.23 He remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.
24 and freed us from our enemies. His love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.
The writer of Psalm 136 gives at least sixteen different reasons to thank the Lord. But he really points our focus toward one big thing: God’s enduring love. He repeats it 26 times. Because all the blessings of the world flow out of this love that never ends.
The Bible is the story of God’s enduring love. Despite the rebellion of angels, despite the disobedience of Adam and Eve, despite the wandering of His people Israel, the broken theology of His leaders, the pointless divisions and conflicts within the church—despite all this, our Savior’s love never ends. His sacrifice always remains available. His Spirit continues to lead and to comfort. His love endures.
You might say, “So? What does the endurance of God’s love mean in my life?”
If God’s love never fails, it means that we are never alone. If God’s love never fails, it means that no matter what we do, He cannot hate us. He always looks upon us with pleasure. If God’s love never fails, His plan for us is always a good plan. It means He does not stop providing. It means He only speaks truth to us. If God’s love never fails, He cannot be impatient with us. He never loses hope for us; he always protects us. If God’s love never fails, it means He keeps no record of our wrongdoings but turns His back on them all. No one can convince Him to change His mind about you. God’s enduring love means the sun keeps shining, the tides keep pulsing, the earth keeps spinning. And when one day they stop, they will only stop because His love is so great He can’t hold back from coming to get us any longer.
Are you able to love that fiercely? Are you able to remain constant and patient and never, never need a moment off to yourself? Of course not! Praise God His love is not like ours! The fluctuations in our faith do not stop His love. Because Jesus endured, we are forever in the heart of the Father.
But, you might say, “I don’t feel His love. He is not here holding my hand. I can’t hear His audible voice, speaking His approval.”
That is the point of Psalm 136. God’s enduring love produced the tangible blessings listed in the text. Because God’s love never tires of you, you can see it throughout your day. His enduring love is in the wild violets that bloom in your yard. It is in the nuzzle of your puppy’s nose in your hand. God’s love is in the voices of your church body singing worship on Sunday mornings. It is in daily food and a warm house. Psalm 136 reminds us to repeat what is true: there are blessings, and His love does endure. Still doubt? Repeat it over and over. 26 times and more. Until you work it into your heart.
Friend, you are loved endlessly.
Endlessly.
Endlessly.
Endlessly.
And this is only one piece of the pie.
