God's Steadfast Love

The steadfast love of the Lord

never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end.

Lamentations 3:22 (ESV)

He penned one of the major prophetical books in the Old Testament, but there isn't very much known about him. He is often referred to as being the “Weeping Prophet.” He was obviously a sensitive, caring and godly man who not only loved God deeply but loved God's people as well. His name...Jeremiah. Scholars give credit to Jeremiah for the writing of Lamentations based on content of the book that communicates in concert with the book that bears his name.

Jeremiah was called by God into His service probably when in his late teens, and later became a priest in the temple. With God's call to Jeremiah, God assured him that He had known before Jeremiah was born that he would serve as one of His prophets. Jeremiah kindly let God know of his own insecurities due to his young age. God assured Jeremiah that despite his age, he would go where sent and would speak what God wanted said.

Beyond that point, we know little of Jeremiah in a personal way. We see all through his signature book that he warned his people of God's wrath to come, speaking truth to all who would hear and even to some who didn't want to hear. Jeremiah understood that at the bottom of the problem was the sin of the people, thus he witnessed the worst of times that came down on his people. Not only did the people suffer death, captivity and destruction but the beloved temple was destroyed and desecrated. This was all very hard for Jeremiah to comprehend and accept and he went through a very sad time.

Sometime read the book of Lamentations...the book of laments...a portrait of the grieving heart of a prophet. (The book itself reads as a clarion call even to our country today.) Jeremiah went through his own share of physical and emotional suffering even to the point of imprisonment, but seeing all of the destruction was heartbreaking. Jeremiah's tears poured out as if ink on paper as he sorrowed over the events of his day. However, just about halfway through his writing, it's as if he suddenly stood up straight and tall, threw back his shoulders, and got a grip on things. He put one of the most heartfelt and encouraging grouping of words together into verse form that one can find in all of Scripture. Slowly read the following:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

“Great is your faithfulness. The Lord

is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3: 22-26 (ESV)

Jeremiah also wrote:

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying,

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting

love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.

Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV)

Especially in the book of Lamentations, is seen the Hebrew name for God...”Hesed Adonai” that simply means “God's Steadfast Love.” It is found in the above verses. The word “mercies” is a defining word for love in this book. We don't just see the love of God in Lamentations but in the book of Jeremiah as well.

I looked in dictionaries to find the meaning of the word “steadfast.” It isn't a word that is common in today's vocabulary. I'll just list a few of those meanings I found: firm, unchanging, faithful, unwavering, loyal, everlasting, constant, steady, stable, enduring....and the list goes on and on. Otherwise, God is all of these things wrapped up in the word “steadfast.” Just to think that God's love for us is this strong and sure.

I've been taking a good look at Jeremiah lately, this wonderful man of God. We don't go through nearly the tough times Jeremiah witnessed. We still go through times of discouragement though as we watch a government with no direction or even moral standards. We are watching a national economy affecting so many people in our nation, especially for the unemployed. The concerns boil down to where we live. Folks are facing problems we wouldn't have recognized 50 years ago. Back then, I had never (or hardly) heard of Alzheimers, Diabetes II, aneurisms, caregivers, crack cocaine, pornography, etc. We too could fall into depression as we view our nation and surroundings, but also if we should have to deal with some of these things in our own families.

Pour over the verses I've listed. Wherever you and I are in our lives, no matter the circumstances, God is still on His throne. His love for us is a steadfast love. It's a love you and I can count on with a surety we can't even understand. A steadfast love is an unwavering, steady and permanent love no matter the circumstances. That's the love God has for us in the good times and in the bad times we go through. We must never lose sight of the heart of God that beats steady and sure for you and me every moment we live and breathe. It's all wrapped up in the faithfulness of God. He remains faithful and steadfast to us come what may. I love the words of the following old hymn:

“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;

As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided;

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!”

                                                                            -----Thomas O. Chisholm

Dear Father...Thank You for Your steadfast love and faithfulness in my life. Forgive me when I take my eyes off of You and look to the cares of this life. You have everything in control. I rest in that fact and in Your love. Amen.