Steadfast: Love Always Perseveres
Valentine’s Day is near. Love, in all its commercial excess, is in the air.
The Beatles sang, “All you need is love.”
It is a simple message.
It sounds right.
But the love the Bible describes is different—it requires something from us.
It is deep.
It is costly.
True love always protects.
Love always perseveres.
This year marks the forty-fifth Valentine’s Day my valentine, Ivalene, and I have celebrated together.
Forty-five years is a long time.
Long enough to know that love is more than a feeling.
It is a commitment.
Long enough to know that love overcomes disappointment.
Love survives misunderstanding.
Love stays because true love is steadfast.
These are the qualities of love the apostle Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13:7.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
These ideals forged the chorus of my song Keep The Faith.
Keeping the faith is built upon this kind of love—love that is self-sacrificing, love that does not give up hoping and believing that God is ultimately in control of every outcome.
The love of God is the source of our belief. It is our strength. It is our sustaining power.
Faith is what we keep.
Love is what keeps us.
Love always hopes.
Love always trusts.
Love always perseveres.
Love always defends.
Love always contends.
Perfect love casts out all fear.
~ Keep The Faith, words & music by Rob Still
We’ll keep the faith—because love keeps the faith.
Prayer:
Lord,
Thank you that your love never fails. Thank you that Your faith, hope, and love will endure forever. Strengthen our resolve to love You, love others, and keep the faith.
Amen.
Listen to the chorus of Keep The Faith - "Love always perseveres."
You can hear the chorus for Keep The Faith here. These companion essays are offered as a resource for deeper theological reflection and encouragement.
God bless you.
ABOUT THE STEADFAST DEVOTIONAL SERIES:
Since the beginning of this year, we have been exploring what it means to live with steadfast faith. Steadfastness is a character trait essential to growing in spiritual maturity. These companion essays include:
- Worship Comes First. Our journey began with worship as the starting point
- Theme Word: Steadfast. We set an intentional and specific course.
- Let God Choose. Re-oriented our ambitions to be subjugated to God’s jurisprudence,
- Step by Step. Learned to walk within God’s timeframe.
- A Steadfast Voice. Accepted the call to be a voice, not an echo (A Steadfast Voice).
- Keep The Faith. settled tour true north star virtue —a spirit resolute to Keep the Faith.
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