Today you should read: Psalm 136
If you had to choose one thing that you think Psalm 136 wants you to remember, what would that be? I’ll give you a moment… do you have it? Perhaps, just maybe, the psalmist wants us to focus on and give thanks for God’s forever enduring love.
The old marketing adage, The Rule of Seven, suggests that you have to repeat something seven times for it to stick in a person’s mind. Well, the psalmist has you repeat the phrase “His steadfast love endures forever” (ESV) twenty-six times. If you’re like me, after reading this psalm in full, that phrase kept coming to mind over and over throughout the day, and maybe that’s the point. As one commentator writes, “God’s people should praise Him publicly by reviewing His great acts that prove His loyal love for them. This should be a part of their corporate worship experience.” (Constable’s Notes)
It is likely that this psalm was sung at the Passover celebration as a call and response to remind Israel of God’s love. The word “love” here is the most common in the psalms, hesed (Hebrew). This word is usually translated as lovingkindness, steadfast love, loyal love, etc. However, my favorite rendering of hesed comes from the Jesus Storybook Bible that we sometimes read with our kids at bedtime—hesed is God’s “never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love.” It is love based on a promise, an irrevocable covenant that God made and He will keep.
Psalm 136 urges Israel to give thanks for what God has done. And as one of my professors often said, “what God has done in the past is a pattern and a promise of what He will do in the future, but He’s too creative to do the same thing the same way twice.” Because God has been faithful in the past, we can trust that He will do all that is promised, yet unfulfilled (like the fact that Christ will return as Judge and King).
What can you look back over your life and give thanks to God for?
His steadfast love endures forever.
What do you need to thank God for today?
His steadfast love endures forever.
When you wake up in the morning,
His steadfast love endures forever.
When you step into work and your boss needs to have a conversation,
His steadfast love endures forever.
When you need to share the love of Christ with a co-worker or friend,
His steadfast love endures forever.
When you think about the future with uncertainty about finances, family, work, or any other thing,
His steadfast love endures forever.
When you admit and confess that sin to the Lord that’s been holding you back,
His steadfast love endures forever.
In the comments tell us what you’re giving thanks to the Lord for today? Also, if you have something you need this community to pray for you about, tell us in what area of life you need to remember that His steadfast love endures forever. Is it at work, at home, with finances, with future uncertainties, medical needs, loss of a loved one? We’d love to pray for you today because His steadfast love endures forever.
By: Tyler Short — Connections Ministry Associate
JumpstartCPC.com 
Today I am giving thanks to the Lord for 11 precious souls that were saved at VBS last night!