That first verse of Psalm 107 ends with the word ‘forever’.  That’s a very long time.  Forever and ever and ever… ad infinitum.  And what is it that lasts forever?  God’s steady love for us.  A love central to Old Testament covenant teaching.

Some keep saying that the Old Testament God is a God of vengeance while the New Testament One is of love.  We don’t worship two Gods.  The word ‘love’ appears many more times in the Old Testament than the New.   The exact content of Psalm 107:1 is found in the Torah of Moses, the writings of the Psalms and other wisdom books, also in the Prophets as well.  Throughout the entire Old Testament.

His love endures…forever.  That’s a very long time.  I retired from the United Christian Church on Grays Harbor, Washington State, having served 14 years.  Almost twice as long as the next longest serving pastor in the church’s 110 year history.  Yet at the bottom left-hand corner of every weekly pay check was written ‘Guest Speaker’!  For 14 years!  That’s a long time to be a guest speaker!  Maybe they just wished I’d take the hint and go away!

I never minded in the least.  After all, in this world, as finite human beings, we are all guests for a brief period of time in whatever we’re doing, even work for the Lord.  I loved being a guest speaker!  But my 14 years were nothing compared to our church secretary, Ruth Wayman, and our church organist, Roberta Cleland, who combined serve the Lord for over 100 years!  But even their long service is dwarfed by the longevity of God’s love for His children and His church.  The warranty on His love has no end date at all.

Yet, I still have a hard time believing that I don’t have to perform for Him to receive His love.  That I must tow the mark,  making His love conditional.  Sure there are consequences for when we veer off course in sin.  But as His child, if I have received Jesus into my life,  His love will mold me in discipline.  He allows me to trudge down that wrong path only to find out that I need His help big-time bringing me back to where I ought to be.  Then He blesses us with His mercy and grace that knows no end.   Forever is a very long time.  Aren’t you glad?

Prayer:  We look forward to being with you, our God, forever.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.