PSALM 21:7 – For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
THEME OF THE DAY. STABILIZED BY HIS LOVE. The most unstable thing in all the world is the human heart. It is unreliable. It cannot be trusted. It deceives. It is fickle. And to follow it is the most destructive act we may do in life. Oh, I know there are nice little sayings out there about following your heart’s desires and dreams, and even romantic jewelry commercials telling us to “Follow our hearts” in finding love, but that is a recipe for disaster. It sounds nice, warm, loving, and fulfilling but it goes contrary to the Biblical instructions and warnings given to us. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9). King Solomon also had a warning against this practice, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Notice what the wise man says . . . “Direct your heart away from yourself and place it on the Lord.” He is pulling us away from self-reliance to Lord-reliance.
Now as unstable the human heart is, the most stable thing in all the world is the steadfast love of the Lord. We see its stabilizing force in today’s scripture. David reminds himself and us that God’s love is unchanging and when relied upon by His people, will bring stability into our lives. No matter how difficult our circumstances, situations, trials, and relationships, the power and presence of the God who is steadfast will be enough. It will sustain us. It will strengthen us. It will direct us. It will “lighten” the load, so to speak, but there is a “catch”. As David proclaims the stabilizing force of God’s love, he qualifies the one who will experience it; the person trusting the Lord of such love – “for the king trusts in the Lord.”
Friends, in the many trials and tribulations we must encounter and endure on the way to heaven, God has provided all we need to ensure safe passage and joy on the journey. That doesn’t mean lack of sorrow, the shedding of many tears, and seasons of “spiritual darkness” when we feel all alone. We will go through tough times this side of heaven but we may do so stabilized in our experiences by His steadfast love, if we do what He commands. And what does He command? Two things and they are found in the letter to the Hebrews – “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). To rest and experience the stabilizing and sustaining power of God’s love, we must believe He is really alive and in our lives. Oh, it is easy to make this profession when life is sailing along without much difficulty, but let the storms start to rise, and what we profess will be quickly assaulted. Here is the fight of faith. We refuse to allow tough times and trials to ignite the sinful unbelief still in us. We fight to believe His Word and that of steadfast, stabilizing love despite feelings and situations.
The next thing God commands of us to experience His steadfast love is to believe He wants us to experience His steadfast love – “and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Don’t believe the lies of the devil telling us “God doesn’t really want to help you.” He does and this trial, this tough circumstance, is given by Him to us so that we will prove, by faith, He is more than willing to be our help through His stabilizing, steadfast love.
Yes, the human heart is the most unstable thing in all the world but, by grace and the Spirit of God, it can be developed to trust the most stable thing in all the world – the steadfast love of God. May He help us in the learning process to do so for His glory and our good.
PRAYER: “Father, increase my faith to look beyond my circumstances to You, the God of love in my circumstances.”
QUOTE: “Never trust your heart. It is deceiving, treacherous, and will prove to always be an unreliable guide in life”