Aug 21, 2006
“Praise the Lord, who is so good; God’s love endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)
We live in a world of change. Anyone who has bought a cell phone, laptop, or ipod recently can testify to this fact. Today’s latest models and hottest technology will become obsolete within a few weeks. New versions are constantly introduced, advertised as “better” because they are smaller, faster, and have the capability to take more pictures and videos.
Change is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can become bad when it causes us to lose focus on what is truly important. As technology continues to improve, it becomes necessary to take a step back and examine what is really important in our lives. In a world of “new and improved,” we must remember that some things do not change. Fads and fashions will come and go, but the most important things remain constant through it all.
God’s love for us never changes. God tells us, “With age-old love I have loved you.” (Jer. 31:3) Our society tells us that anything old is outdated and has no value, but this is not true. God’s love has no need to be “new-and-improved” because it has been a perfect love all along. Unlike the world around us, God’s love for us does not change.
God’s unchanging love can be seen throughout the Old Testament. Even as He was leading His people out of slavery in Egypt and into freedom in the Promised Land, they repeatedly turned away from Him. They worshipped false gods and ignored the commandments that had been given to them. But despite their many sins, God never stopped loving them. Rather, He sent prophets to call them back to Himself. Time and time again, He drew them into His infinite love, never abandoning them, but always showering His mercy upon them. The ultimate sign of God’s boundless love can be seen in the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus Christ, whom He sent to die for our sins in order that we might gain salvation.
Today, just as in Biblical times, God continues to love us with a love that is unconditional and unchanging. He loved us into existence, and His love sustains us every day of our lives. If God stopped thinking about and loving us for just a single moment, we would cease to exist. But the Bible tells us that God will never stop loving us, that even “deep waters cannot quench [His] love, nor floods sweep it away.” (Song 8:7)
No matter what we do to separate ourselves from God, He continues to love us. Even in the depths of our sin, God loves us completely. There is nothing we can do to erase God’s immense love for us. This is a comforting thought when we feel as though we are so weighed down by sin that we are not worthy of God’s love. God does not love us because we deserve it - we will never be worthy of His love; rather, He loves us unconditionally. His love is not something that changes and falters, but something that remains steady and true despite all obstacles we place in front of it through our sins. In a world of constant change, it is important for us to realize that the one thing that does not change is the one thing that matters most. The vast love of our Heavenly Father is immeasurable and eternal. Nothing we or anyone else can ever do will ever change God’s infinite love for us.