Give Thanks to the Lord
Pastor Dave Monreal, Lead Pastor
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
Psalm 136:1
Twenty-six times in this passage we read that “his steadfast love endures forever.” This is how every verse ends! If you came across this chapter in your devotions, you might be tempted to feel it is repetitive and pedantic. A couple things come to mind. First, this was likely sung antiphonally by a choir with one group singing the first half of the verse and the other replying, “For his steadfast love endures forever.” Audibly hearing this sung would be beautiful.
Second, there is great power in repetition. Repetition is one of the best teachers. As we hear this truth over and over again it moves from our short-term memory to our long-term memory, and we are more likely to remember that “his steadfast love endures forever.” Our hearts are prone to worry, and we are prone to forget. We live like orphans forgetting that we are children of the King! We feel abandoned, not recalling that he is an ever-present help in times of trouble. We feel unloved, not remembering that he lavishes his love upon us who are his children. We need to be reminded repeatedly of his steadfast love for us that never changes, never diminishes, and never waivers.
Third, we need to remember specifically that his love is steadfast. The Old Testament refers to God’s love as “hesed (חֶסֶד).” This word is difficult to translate fully into English. It is God’s kindness, favor, mercy, pity, goodliness, and lovingkindness. I’ve gotten in trouble by saying I don’t believe in “unconditional” love. In some ways, God is merciful and loving to all. He causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. His restraining hand keeps us as sinners from being as bad as we could possibly be. He shows common grace by giving love, friendship, marriage, and family to both believers and unbelievers.
However, to be the recipient of his covenantal love we need to become his child by grace, through faith, in the person of Christ and his finished work in his life, death, and resurrection. These are the “conditions” by which we are forgiven and become a part of his family. If God’s love were truly “unconditional” in the full sense of the word, he would have to forgive everyone and save everyone regardless of their faith or lack of faith, regardless of if they believed or never believed. We understand that God has a special, intimate relationship with those who are his children contrasted with those who are enemies of God living in rebellion and refusing to bow to his Lordship.
God has pledged himself in covenant love to those who are his and has promised to respond to them always, only out of love because his full wrath has been poured out on Christ and paid for fully. He has made this promise swearing by himself and, since he cannot lie, we are assured of being the recipients of his love “in Christ.” Covenantal love is far superior to the worldly concept of “unconditional” love. Like Christ, we show love to all, but we have a special love to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
His love for us is deeper, broader, and higher than we can comprehend! It is grand and glorious. It is unchanging and never ending. We are thankful for the blessings of God. We are thankful for friends, family, and other loved ones he has put in our lives. We are thankful for the freedom to gather and worship God openly. But above all, we are thankful for God who has pledged himself to us. “Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:26)
