If I look back over the course of my life, I can say with confidence that there are things I have done or said that I regret. And if I’m being completely honest, some of these things may have caused me to wonder if God’s love was still available to me. Maybe you have an instance like this in your life. Have you ever done something or said something that would have been like fingernails screeching across a chalkboard to God’s ears?
If so, we’re not alone. There are examples throughout scripture where God’s people have done or said things that truly disappointed Him.
One example is David. As a boy, David relied on his faith in God to defeat the warrior, Goliath. As he got older, David was referred to as a man after God’s own heart. But this is the same David who had an affair with a married woman, and when he found out she was pregnant, tried to manipulate the situation so that her husband wouldn’t find out. When these efforts failed, David crafted a scheme that intentionally resulted in the husband’s death.
When you consider what David did, it is not a stretch of the imagination to think that God could have washed His hands of the shepherd-turned-king. Using our human rationale, there seems to be little that would redeem David of his actions. Sure, he did a few good things, but does the bad outweigh the good? Because of his actions, David faced significant consequences. Even so, God’s love for David wasn’t wiped away. In the same way, the love God has for you isn’t instantly erased because of bad decisions.
In Lamentations 3:22-23, the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah shares the following words: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
If something is “steadfast”, it is firm and unwavering. Not just firm, but resolutely firm. I think back to a significant storm that blew through a local community. The winds fiercely blew, yet there were trees that did not topple. They weren’t just firm, but resolutely firm. Unwilling to go down, almost stubbornly resisting the winds that pushed its branches to and fro.
God’s love is also faithful: loyal...reliable...firm. We can always count on the love of God to be available and present in our lives. Even when we have done or said something that runs counter to God’s will, desire, or command for us.
And this love does not cease. It does not stop. It does not end. It is a constant presence in our life. God’s mercy...God’s compassion...God’s forgiveness doesn’t have strings attached. It is there for you and me every day of our lives. For the days when you follow His will, and for the days where you fall short. And friends, we all fall short at times. But even in those moments where we miss the mark of what God calls us to do, His love – His loyal, unrelenting, intentional, and steadfast love – is always there for us.
Word in Faith is a collaboration of Wayne Association of Congregations and Ministers (WACAM), an organization partially funded by the Wayne Community Chest.
