David went through a time of great darkness, as Saul hunted him. David could not see how & when things would end. He literally had to take life one day at a time. Psalms 52-60 capture David’s ding-dong battle between faith & fear, anguish & anger… but through it all, we see the light of God’s goodness shining through.

A word that occurs again and again is chêsêd which is translated as loving-kindness or steadfast love, (depending on the version you are using).

It is a word that describes God’s covenant love for His people… An eternal, enduring, indestructible, unchangeable love. A love that is loyal & faithful.

A love that leads Him
💞 to humble Himself and get involved in our lives [Ps 113:6]
💞to help us and sustain us [Ps 54:4]
💞 to carry our burdens [Ps 55:22]
💞 to fight our battles, bring peace to our souls & grant us victory [Ps 55:18, 60:12]
💞 to track us … to capture each tear we shed… to treasure each prayer we make… [Ps 56:8, Rev 5:8]
💞 to perfect & complete everything which concerns us [Ps 57:2]

God’s love led Him to send His Son to deliver our souls from death, yes, our feet from falling, that we may walk before Him in the light of life. [Ps 56:13]

Here’s something we read every Christmas: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. [Isa 9:2]

All around the world the darkness of evil & despair seems to be deepening.

But Advent is a time of remembering that:
💫 God did not forget us and abandon us to the consequences of our foolish & evil choices.
💫 He humbled Himself to come and dwell with us, so that He could lift our sin-debt-burden and clear our debts with His own blood.
💫 Jesus came as the Light of the World – to show us what a life lived in union with God looked like… and how such a life could defeat the power of evil.

It is a time for celebrating a love that will not let us go.

That is the title of one of my favourite hymns. It was written by George Matheson, who became blind tragically, early in life. His fiancée broke off their engagement when she realized he had lost his eyesight.

In those anguished moments, Matheson held onto God, leaning on a love that will never let us go.

2020 has been a hard year for many. And it is certainly hard to think of celebrating. We may not have happy earthly circumstances… BUT… we can always rejoice in & celebrate the love that will not let us go.

🌈 🎼
O Love, that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Joy, that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.
🎼 🌈
Abba Father, thank You for Your steadfast, indestructible, uncontainable, unchanging, enduring love, that will not let me go… I surrender myself to Your keeping. In Jesus Name. Amen.

AD