God's Steadfast Love

Christian Commitment
in Today's World
Psalm 89:1-8 (The Message)

An Ethan Prayer

 ^1-4 Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are.
   I'll never quit telling the story of your love—
      how you built the cosmos
      and guaranteed everything in it.
   Your love has always been our lives' foundation,
      your fidelity has been the roof over our world.
   You once said, "I joined forces with my chosen leader,
      I pledged my word to my servant, David, saying,
   'Everyone descending from you is guaranteed life;
      I'll make your rule as solid and lasting as rock.'"

 ^5-18 God! Let the cosmos praise your wonderful ways,
      the choir of holy angels sing anthems to your faithful ways!
   Search high and low, scan skies and land,
      you'll find nothing and no one quite like God.
   The holy angels are in awe before him;
      he looms immense and august over everyone around him.
   God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who is like you,
      powerful and faithful from every angle?
   You put the arrogant ocean in its place
      and calm its waves when they turn unruly.
   You gave that old hag Egypt the back of your hand,
      you brushed off your enemies with a flick of your wrist.
   You own the cosmos—you made everything in it,
      everything from atom to archangel.
   You positioned the North and South Poles;
      the mountains Tabor and Hermon sing duets to you.
   With your well-muscled arm and your grip of steel—
      nobody trifles with you!
   The Right and Justice are the roots of your rule;
      Love and Truth are its fruits.
   Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise,
      who shout on parade in the bright presence of God.
   Delighted, they dance all day long; they know
      who you are, what you do—they can't keep it quiet!
   Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us—
      you've been so good to us! We're walking on air!
   All we are and have we owe to God,
      Holy God of Israel, our King!
 
For Reflection
In my later years I have begun to realize how precious and rare a commodity love really is.  We are surrounded by dysfunctional relationships where love (if it exists at all) is selfish and often used as a bargaining chip -- something to be withheld in a relational power play.  With unlove as a benchmark for authentic unconditional love (agape) it is understandable that the love of God is often misunderstood and mistrusted to the point of being ignored.  What a wonderful gift we have been given. To glimpse unconditional love, to have the example of Jesus Christ, to know that the root of happiness, justice and peace is love.  The immovable and rock solid love God offers us is worthy of celebration and praise.  Blessed are we who know the passwords of praise.

Pray to see the love of God in all of your interactions with each other and this world.  Pray to lean on the strong arm of God and learn to dance in praise of His steadfast love all day long.