Unfailing Love: A Reflection
by Heather Ledbetter
The Word of God uses the phrase "unfailing love" 32 times and not once is it attributed to humans. Every single reference refers to God and God alone. As rich as the love of others can extend to us, only God's love is unfailing. It is constant. It is not conditional by our actions or lack of action. It is steady. Unwavering. Unchanging.
God is not only the answer to a thousand needs, He is the answer to a thousand wants. He is the fulfillment of our chief desire in all of life because whether we recognize it or not, what we desire is unfailing love and acceptance.
"What a man desires is unfailing love..." Proverbs 19:22
"Many a man claim to have unfailing love but a faithful man who can find?" Proverbs 20:6
I would describe unfailing love as.....faithful, purposeful, selfless, constant, unconditional regardless of performance, humble, full of grace, honest.
I Cor. 13:4-8 describes love and as hard as we can try in our flawed human state, as dedicated and faithfully we can strive to love others, we are going to fail at some level and at some point. Only God has perfect love and only He has the capability to love perfectly. Only He can fill the agape love-shaped hole in the heart of every human being. He alone has the ability to fulfill our hearts desire to receive unfailing love. No one else can give us that. We have to find our fulfilment in His love.
The entire chapter of Psalm 136 speaks of God as the Conqueror, the Creator, and the Compassionate One and how His love endures forever. It is not dependant on anything, anyone, or any situation. It is not a respector of persons and His perfect love alone can mend a broken heart. It spans all of time and is extended to every single one of us.
What joy and peace this brings to my heart because I know and can trust that ....
*When others fail me, His love still endures forever!
*When I fail and hurt others, His love is forgiving and endures forever!
*When I'm faithful to Him and even when I am not, His love is pursuant and endures forever!
*When I'm filled with self-doubt and I believe the enemys lies, His Word speaks Truth and His love for me endures forever!
* No matter how much I mess up, His love undures forever!
God's unfailing love is what our souls want,what it desires, what it longs for. A love that won't ever let us go.
Reader Comments (1)
Thank you, Heather, for this beautiful essay on God's amazing love.
It makes me think of the song I've been hearing on K-Love for some time now:
Oh, no, You never let go,
Through the calm and through the strorm,
Oh, no, You never let go
Every high and every low
Oh, no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
May we know more of His Love today, and pass it on in joy.