But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8 (ESV)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever. – Psalm 136:1-3 (ESV)
The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. – Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)
In our culture, love is frequently mistaken for sentiment—a fleeting feeling that shifts with passing moods and moments. Love in movies, love in lyrics, love in headlines… it tends to be conditional, convenient, and fleeting. Let’s face it…we love chocolate. We love football. We even love…well, love. But the love of God? It’s something altogether different.
Romans 5:8 takes us to the core of what love truly is. It’s not a feeling; it’s an action. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God didn’t wait for us to clean up or come around. He loved us at our worst – when we were undeserving, uninterested, and even resistant. That’s real love: love that acts, love that sacrifices, love that pursues even when rejected.
Psalm 136 echoes this truth with a powerful refrain: “His steadfast love endures forever.” Over and over again, the psalmist repeats it, almost like he’s trying to convince hearts that are weary with disappointment or doubt. Friends, God’s love doesn’t expire, change with the seasons, or grow tired. It’s not dependent on how well we’re doing. It endures.
When everything else feels uncertain, when people leave, when life falls apart, when hope is hard to find – God’s love remains steadfast. It’s the one sure thing in this life.
In Jeremiah 31:3 we read some of the most tender words in all of scripture, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” These words were spoken to a people who had turned away again and again. Remembering this, these words aren’t just gentle, they’re shocking in grace. God’s love isn’t diverted by rejection. He keeps drawing near. He keeps loving. He doesn’t give up.
Have you mistaken God’s love for something like human love (fickle or performance-based)?
What would change if you truly believed God’s love is steadfast and everlasting?