By Pr Isaiah White
Have you ever been in love with someone? If the answer is ‘yes,’ then that means you are no longer in love with that person, right? I did not ask, “Are you in love with someone?” but rather, “Have you ever been in love with someone?” This implies that while you may have been with that person in the past, you are no longer. Human love is fickle; it is dependent on emotions and feelings. Today, someone may love you, but tomorrow, they may not feel the same way. This kind of love is often conditional, based on what we do for others. Human love cannot always be trusted, for it changes constantly.
However, God does not change, as attested in Malachi 3:6: “For I am the Lord, I do not change.” Imagine if God were as fickle and volatile as we are, surely, we would not be alive today, and the world would have been destroyed by His wrath. Yet, we give thanks to the Lord, for His word declares: “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 106:1).
Steadfastness of God
What do we mean by the term “steadfast love”? To answer this, we must examine key verses (Exodus 34:6; 1 Chronicles 16:34; Job 10:12; Psalm 106:1; Isaiah 54:10) that refer to this concept, as well as the Hebrew word translated as “steadfast.” In the original Hebrew of the Old Testament, a single word conveys this idea: khesed. This term appears 127 times in the Book of Psalms, more than half of all its occurrences in the entire Old Testament. Of these, 37 instances refer to God’s acts of benevolence, while the remaining 90 refer to His covenantal, loyal love and faithfulness in action.
Thus, the meaning of “steadfast love” is unfailing love. The steadfast love of God, as described in the Psalms, is a love that is loyal and unwavering, never fickle but always faithful (Psalm 119:41; 106:7, 45; 89:1; 25:6; 107:43).
God’s love remains constant, regardless of whether one is a sinner or a saint. He does not love saints more than sinners; rather, He loves all equally. The Psalms praise God as One whose steadfast love serves as a reminder to all—both sinners and saints, that His love is not conditional on our actions. The way God loved us when we were saints is the same way He loves us when we sin. As the Bible states: “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:8-10).
Do not worry, just worship God
Does the steadfast love of God mean that our behaviour does not matter? Not at all. Just as our righteousness does not increase God’s love for us, neither does our sinfulness diminish it. His love remains steadfast, regardless of our moral state. However, rather than taking this as an excuse to sin, we should be humbled and reverent. The knowledge that God loves us despite our shortcomings should not excite us to carelessness but should lead us to bow in worship and gratitude. The fact that He remains faithful even when we fail Him should inspire us to praise and worship Him eternally.
The assurance is that our covenant with God remains intact. Although we may falter, God has upheld His part of the covenant. Because of His steadfast love, we can return to Him and rebuild our commitment to Him.
The Book of Psalms emphasises God’s steadfast love to assure believers and worshippers that they do not serve a fickle God. We need not worry that He will change His love for us. We do not have to fear that He will suddenly withdraw His mercy in anger. His love remains constant, no matter what we do. If God’s love for sinners were not steadfast, we would all be consumed. Scripture affirms this truth: “For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore, you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” (Malachi 3:6).
Thus, let us take comfort in the steadfast love of God, worshipping Him with confidence, for His love endures forever.
By Isaiah White, A life coach and theologian contact: 0775822833, whitemwine@gmail.com
