As I read through the Psalms, the phrase "unfailing love" repeats itself, catching my eye again and again. David knew what it was like to love people, only to be rejected and hunted down by those he had formerly served. Yet throughout the Psalms, as he pleads for justice and protection, there is a sense of his complete trust in the loving care of his heavenly Father. He knows that God's love is with him throughout all his trials.
"Love never fails." So reads the beginning of verse 8 of that most famous Biblical passage on love, 1 Corinthians 13. When I read those words, first and foremost addressed to the church, I feel such a sense of conviction of my own shortcomings. I have certainly failed those I love on many occasions and hurt them. Most of all I have failed to love God above all others and put Him in the place where He should be in my life. But He has never failed me.
There are some quite spectacular examples of failed love in the Bible. The prodigal son asks his father for an early advance of his inheritance, the equivalent, in that culture, of declaring that he wished his father dead. In a similar vein, Job's wife looks upon his suffering and tells him to "curse God and die."(Job 2:9). How's that for marital fidelity? The apostle Paul stood on trial, defending himself, abandoned by his friends when association with him could lead to hardship: "At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them."(1 Timothy 4:16). Most of all Jesus knew what it was like to love those who mocked and scorned him, denied him, questioned his sanity and constantly let him down. And you know what? Christians today are no better. We fail God and each other.
The entire Bible, the whole gospel story would make no sense at all without God's unfailing love. He created mankind to be in fellowship with Him. Even though He could not fail us, He made us with free will, to love or reject Him. When sin entered this world through the choices of man, God loved us so much that He made a way for forgivenss and reconciliation between Himself and humanity, through the gift of His Son, Jesus, who glorified His Father and became the sacrifice for our sin by dying on the cross. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.(Romans 5:8). God loved us so much that He did not leave us alone after Christ's ascension, but sent his Holy Spirit, the Counsellor and Comforter, the Parakletos or One who comes alongside, at Pentecost to indwell in us and to be a witness in this world until Christ's return (Acts chapter 2).
Many of us who have children know a little of what it means to be a loving parent. We love our children unconditionally and eternally. We want only good things for them. Our love does not depend upon what they do for us, or what they achieve, or even how much we are loved in return. We love them simply because of who they are. How much more does our heavenly Father love his children. We never cease at any time to love our children, but unlike God we are fallible humans and we fail our children as well as our husbands and wives, family and friends, work collegues, the unsaved..... the list goes on and on. Thank God that He loves us so much that He even understands and forgives our failings. His grace is sufficient. He looks not at my sin, but at Jesus' redemptive sacrifice.
Thank You, Abba Father, for Your eternal presence. Thank You for Your unfailing love.
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