I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.2 I declare that your steadfast love is established for ever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. 3 You said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: 4 “I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.”
God’s love stands firm forever. What a relief! How often we feel undeserving of a love that is eternal, unchanging, and beyond our human capacity to give.
Written at a dark time for the people of God, Psalm 89 describes the everlasting love of God and God’s steadfast covenant with the house of David. There is no contingency, God has not abandoned His promise and will never do so. Disobedience brings tragedy to the people, but God will never forsake them. Many believe that God’s wrath creates human misery, but the character of God described here is more like the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:23-24.
In the parable of the landowner, Jesus presents a God who continues reaching out to us, even when we reject God’s servants. God will soon send a Son to try once again. The babe in the manger will give His life to open our eyes to our willingness to choose self-interest over self-sacrifice. Those with eyes to see will turn away from judgment and condemnation, following instead Christ’s self-sacrificial way of forgiveness and love. That way will save us through faith.
With the coming of the Christ child, we have hope for the future. We are delivered from the evil one (who is Satan, the accuser) when we follow God’s eternal commandment to love as He loves, no matter the cost (Micah 6:7-8). Even when we fail, God still stands ready to forgive, strengthen, and walk with us.
The Son of Man will soon fulfill God’s covenant with David.
Contributed by Claudia Driver