steadfast, my love

I see you curled up in despair

In the shadow, in the night

Your hope is all but spent

Sick of waiting for the light

You heard Me loud and clear

When I first spoke that word to you

“Be steadfast, my love”

In the storm, keep the truth

Your determination, I value

Stubbornness has served you well

But, you couldn’t pull this one together

Or by your might, this giant fell

Your “try harder” feels busted

Your arms have grown weary

Fighting off discouragement

Every step forward feels heavy

“What’s wrong with me?”

In your mind repeated questions

Why does joy seem so distant?

Why is faith growing dim?

Your confusion breaks My heart

As you brace for defeat

Be still and cease striving

Lay back against Me and breathe

You think you already know

And you’re afraid to draw near

You’ve avoided being with Me

For fear of what you might hear

“Be steadfast, my love”

Was my last instruction to you

At the time, exhilarating

But now, far from how you feel 

You know how you “should” act

But, I know something you don’t

Your resolve to “do right” crumbles

If trust in Me, the waves erode

Are you good and ready now

To set them all aside?

Your preconceived ideas

Of how you look through My eyes?

I saw you “Count it all joy”

And I heard your tired praise

Every hard day that you thanked Me

Every desperate glance My way

I saw this storm brewing

And I saw your foot slip

I saw the pressure rising

And I saw your “Steadfast” give

“Be steadfast, my love”

Was never meant a lonely burden

And the steadfast I ask of you

Doesn’t equal perfection

Every moment you’ve chosen

To lift your eyes to Me

Is victory worth celebrating

On the pages of your story

“That’s all well and good,” you say

But what of moments of defeat?

When your eyes fell away

And from the path, strayed your feet?

Did you forget who I am?

Lean in and hear your Abba out

“Steadfast” you think you know

But, you’ve forgotten My heart

Long before you took My hand

Before you chose to endure

I had chosen to love you 

And that love for you, is sure

Did you know that when you whispered

“I want to give up”

It didn’t tip Me off my throne,

It only tightened My grip?

“Be steadfast, my love”

I had whispered in truth

But it was only Part One

Of what I had for you

Though your “steadfast” looks messy

Though your strength grows weary

Though you want to give up

And you get your feet get dirty

“Steadfast, my love”

Forever will be

Though you falter and fail

My love remains steady

No matter what you do

You will never change my love

So lift your eyes to Me again

I’ll hold you “steadfast, my love”

-

“When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ Your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.” -Psalm 94:18

 “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

 “But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to You, for You, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.” -Psalm 59:16-17

 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” -James 1:2-4

“Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” -James 5:11

“Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive Him; on the left hand when He is working, I do not behold Him; He turns to the right hand, but I do not see Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His ways and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my portion of food.” -Job 23:8-12

 “When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.” -Jonah 2:7-8

“But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Isreal; ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” -Isaiah 43:1

“My eyes are ever towards the Lord for He will pluck my feet out of the net.” -Psalm 25:15

“Contend, O Lord, with those who contend against me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, I am your salvation!” -Psalm 35:1-3

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” -Lamentations 3:22-26