Day 3: Steadfast Love & Faithfulness

For a minute, imagine two very distinct parts of God’s abounding steadfast love. God’s love abounds like cereal being dumped by a small child until overflowing out of the bowl—he loves us in an over-the-top way. Yet, it’s dependable, a steadfast stream; it never changes. His love is reliable. It is not dumped one moment out excessively like my child’s cereal and now running out because I forgot to go to the store. It does not vary depending on how well we perform that day or how kind, loving, and worthy we are of it. It is like a marriage vow; it is a covenantal love based on who God is, not who we are.

The Hebrew word here is hesed; God loves us with a hesed love. It’s God’s hesed love that keeps his covenant with sinful people who are undeserving, unfaithful, and distracted by idols in their lives. We see this very example repeatedly with the Israelites who witnessed God’s love and deliverance and yet quickly turned away from him.

What are some examples of hesed love in the Bible? One example of hesed love is in the story of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth stays with her mother-in-law Naomi and loves her despite Naomi having nothing to offer her daughter-in-law. Hesed love keeps the bond between Ruth and Naomi, and it does not waver (Ruth 1:6–22).

Another example is when Jeremiah expresses God’s hesed love for the people of Israel. They had rebelled and deserved punishment; they were living in exile and had watched the fall of Jerusalem and their temple. They were in agony; everything was in ruin and they were crying out to him. Yet what brings Jeremiah hope amidst a dismal situation is recalling God’s character and his steadfast love for his people. Although they experienced devastation, they would not be consumed. He calls the nation to fix their eyes on him: “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22–33).

The Hebrew word emet means faithful. This word means God is trustworthy because God is truth; he is worthy of staking our life on.

Do you believe God is steadfast in his love towards you? That his love is unchanging? Do you believe God to be trustworthy in the things you have coming your way? Do you believe God to be to punish the unjust and unrepentant? This should lead us to worship.