The Steadfast (Faithful) Love of God



by Jennifer Moodie


As I was reading the Psalms (or listening to them being read to me on the amazing app, Dwell), a phrase kept popping up that I have heard before, but never registered-partly because I had heard it from the KJV which states it differently... The phrase is "His faithful love". Some translations say "His steadfast love", some say "His loving kindness", and the KJV says "His mercy" or "merciful kindness". I love "steadfast/faithful" love as it reminds me that when I am not being faithful in my love for Him, He is faithful in His love for me. I have been pondering that for a while now. 

Psalms 117
Praise the LORD, all nations!
Glorify him, all peoples!
For his faithful love to us is great;
the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever.
Hallelujah!

Psalms 118:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.

Psalms 13:5
But I have trusted in your faithful love;
my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.

Psalms 25:6-7
Remember, LORD, your compassion
and your faithful love,
for they have existed from antiquity.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
or my acts of rebellion;
in keeping with your faithful love, remember me
because of your goodness, LORD.

Psalms 63:3
My lips will glorify you
because your faithful love is better than life.

Psalms 69:16
Answer me, LORD,
for your faithful love is good.
In keeping with your abundant compassion,
turn to me.

Jeremiah 9:24
But the one who boasts should boast in this:
that he understands and knows me —
that I am the LORD, showing faithful love,
justice, and righteousness on the earth,
for I delight in these things.
This is the LORD’s declaration.

His love for me isn't contingent on how often I read my Bible, the way I dress, my church attendance or service, what music I listen to, my political party, my gender and it's 'role', or even in how often I pray. I can’t earn more love or somehow lessen it. His love is faithful and steadfast because it is anchored in Jesus and His finished work on the cross, not in me and my performance. 

The law commands that I love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 12:28-31), but I can’t keep that. There isn’t a time when I am keeping this. Ever. But I can rest assured that God’s love is faithful. And that means that when I fail to keep the law, as I do every day, His love doesn’t wane. I can never be or do enough, but He is enough in all things. I can never be faithful, but He is, and His faithful love endures forever! Hallelujah! 

Dane Ortlund says in his book, Gentle & Lowly
Christ’s “own joy, comfort, happiness, and glory are increased and enlarged by his showing grace and mercy, in pardoning, relieving, and comforting his members here on earth.” {Thomas Goodwin} 

 The only thing required to enjoy such love is to come to him. To ask him to take us in. He does not say, “Whoever comes to me with sufficient contrition,” or “Whoever comes to me feeling bad enough for their sin,” or “Whoever comes to me with redoubled efforts.” He says, “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Our strength of resolve is not part of the formula of retaining his good will.

 When we feel as if our thoughts, words, and deeds are diminishing God’s grace toward us, those sins and failures are in fact causing it to surge forward all the more.

 Christ continues to intercede on our behalf in heaven because we continue to fail here on earth. He does not forgive us through his work on the cross and then hope we make it the rest of the way. Picture a glider, pulled up into the sky by an airplane, soon to be released to float down to earth. We are that glider; Christ is the plane. But he never disengages. He never lets go, wishing us well, hoping we can glide the rest of the way into heaven. He carries us all the way.

Our sinning goes to the uttermost. But his saving goes to the uttermost. And his saving always outpaces and overwhelms our sinning, because he always lives to intercede for us. 

We cannot keep from sinning, but we can rest assured that when we sin, we have an advocate who is interceding for us! What a wonderful thought! 

 Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens — Jesus the Son of God — let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.


1 John 2:1

My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ the righteous one.


It isn’t the quality of our faith, or the lack of our sin that keeps the Father loving us, but rather the fact that God Himself IS love, and He has promised to love His children. God is a God who is faithful to his promises. And we can rest in that. Always. 

Psalms 91:4

" He will cover you with his feathers;

you will take refuge under his wings.

His faithfulness will be a protective shield."


Psalms 57:7-11

My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident.

I will sing; I will sing praises.

Wake up, my soul!

Wake up, harp and lyre!

I will wake up the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For your faithful love is as high as the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches the clouds.

God, be exalted above the heavens;

let your glory be over the whole earth.


Psalms 136

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.

His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods.

His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords.

His faithful love endures forever.

He alone does great wonders.

His faithful love endures forever.

He made the heavens skillfully.

His faithful love endures forever.

He spread the land on the waters.

His faithful love endures forever.

He made the great lights:

His faithful love endures forever.

the sun to rule by day,

His faithful love endures forever.

the moon and stars to rule by night.

His faithful love endures forever.

He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians

His faithful love endures forever.

and brought Israel out from among them

His faithful love endures forever.

with a strong hand and outstretched arm.

His faithful love endures forever.

He divided the Red Sea

His faithful love endures forever.

and led Israel through,

His faithful love endures forever.

but hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.

His faithful love endures forever.

He led his people in the wilderness.

His faithful love endures forever.

He struck down great kings

His faithful love endures forever.

and slaughtered famous kings —

His faithful love endures forever.

Sihon king of the Amorites

His faithful love endures forever.

and Og king of Bashan —

His faithful love endures forever.

and gave their land as an inheritance,

His faithful love endures forever.

an inheritance to Israel his servant.

His faithful love endures forever.

He remembered us in our humiliation

His faithful love endures forever.

and rescued us from our foes.

His faithful love endures forever.

He gives food to every creature.

His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven!

His faithful love endures forever.

Our good works do nothing to strengthen our vertical relationship to God, because He alone does that. We show love to our neighbor, because Christ first loved us. Therefore, our good works are a horizontal extension of Christ’s love, through us, for the sake of our neighbor. ~Rick Marrs in Make Christian Counseling More Christ Centered  

I am thankful beyond words that Christ holds me fast with his steadfast, faithful love. 




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