A Love That Endures Forever
Scripture
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south. (Psalm 107:1-3).
17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy. (Psalm 107:17-22).
Reflection
We’ve all seen the following scenario in movies: two characters meet each other for the first time and their hearts skip a beat. When they lock eyes, it seems as if time is frozen. It is love at first sight. Wherever they go and whatever they do, they can’t stop thinking about each other. When they find out their feelings for each other are mutual, they get married, move to a far-away land, and live happily ever after.
Hallmark movies and romantic fairy tales paint an elaborate story of romantic love, but they don’t accurately portray the messy imperfections woven into the characters’ relationship. Later in the plots, the synopses of these “instant love” stories end in anger and heartbreak as insurmountable flaws are discovered and the couples cannot believe they ever saw anything worthwhile in each other.
We can all agree that if a movie has this synopsis, it probably wouldn’t be our first choice for a movie night, nor would it be our last. We’re already familiar with relationships that end with broken hearts. We know all too well the feelings of mistrust, disappointment, and hurt. With broken hearts, we long for a love that’s better: a love that lasts.
The psalmist encourages us to give thanks because God is good and his love endures forever! Our flaws, our sins, are many, but he is good beyond anything we can measure. We know that our love can be fleeting, halfhearted, forgetful, but his love is perfect, unconditional, never-ending.
God has been gathering his people, redeeming them from the ends of the earth—not because of who they are, but because of who he is. When humankind recognizes their trouble because of sin and cries out to him, he lovingly answers and heals them by the power of his word. Jesus, the essential Word, came, and when he spoke, sinners were cured of their diseases. When his blood was shed, eternal rescue was won.
In this season of Lent, let us pause to thank God for his unfailing love; let us be intentional about telling others of his wonderful deeds for us.
Prayer
Father in heaven, your perfect love was expressed in the gift of your Son. I confess that I am undeserving of that love and that I often fail to share it in ways that show others who you are. Forgive me and help me to live a life that testifies to your grace and mercy in Christ. Amen
2024 Lenten Journey
Adrian Brown