Give Thanks for the Most Important Thing

“Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for His wondrous works to the children of man!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul He fills with good things.”
(Psalm 107:8-9 ESV)

I love Psalm 107. I’ve talked about it in depth before. It seems fitting, as the holidays fast approach, to be reminded of what I can confidently say is THE most important thing in each of our lives: the steadfast love of the Lord.

“Steadfast love” is repeated six times in Psalm 107, and over and over again all throughout Scripture, perhaps because we frequently need the reminder.

Give yourself a moment to just think on that phrase. The steadfast love of the Lord. Think about what steadfast means: faithful, unwavering, constant, true, unfaltering, unshakeable. God’s love is unshakeable. Unbreakable. Sure. A firm foundation under our lives, even when the waves are crashing, and even when death looms.

And His love is real love – it’s self-sacrificing, for-our-flourishing, only-ever-doing-what’s-best-for-us love. 

Whether you are enjoying every moment of this Thanksgiving season and finding it easy to list a million things you’re thankful for, or you’re chest-deep slogging through the muck of difficult times, or you’re anywhere in between, take a moment to remind yourself of the most important thing – the thing that means there is real hope, there is light ahead, there is everlasting goodness in store for you if you have put your trust in Jesus Christ: our good God satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with good things. His promises are true, and His love for you is steadfast, never changing, and never, ever, ending. 

Praise Him, give Him thanks, for what you have that truly matters and can never, ever be taken from you if you belong to Him – His steadfast love.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23a ESV)

His steadfast love endures forever. (Repeated five times in Psalm 118, and TWENTY-SIX times in Psalm 136, both ESV.)

He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. (Psalm 33:5 ESV)

The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Psalm 145:8 ESV)

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (1 Chronicles 16:34, 41; 2 Chronicles 20:21; Psalm 107:1; Psalm 118:1, all ESV)

but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love. (Psalm 147:11 ESV)

For Your steadfast love is great to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds. (Psalm 57:10 ESV)

For the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:5 ESV)

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. (Psalm 86:15 ESV)

And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, “For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” (Ezra 3:11a ESV)

Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. (Ps 63:3 ESV)

Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love, for in You I trust. (Ps 143:8a ESV)

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your steadfast love in the morning, and Your faithfulness by night, (Psalm 92:1-2 ESV)

How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. (Psalm 36:7 ESV)

By day the LORD commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. (Psalm 42:8 ESV)

The earth, O LORD, is full of Your steadfast love; teach me Your statutes! (Psalm 119:64 ESV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 ESV)

And, truly, that’s just a few of the mentions of God’s steadfast love in His Word! You can find more and more and more — maybe start with Psalms 13, 51, 52, 86, 89, 103, 106, 108, 117; Isaiah 54, 63; John 3:16-18…

May the Lord bless you this holiday season (and for the rest of your days) with a deep knowledge of His steadfast love for you, no matter your circumstances.