Steadfast Love Forever. Worship: July 28, 2024

Photo Credit: Aimee Munson, 2024. Tablelands are of Gros Morne Provincial Park, Newfoundland, Canada.

Lutheran Service Book: Concordance contains an alphabetical listing of key words in the texts of the hymnal. Although it might seem to be structured for church professionals choosing hymns for services, it has value for all people in the church. Paging through the book, it is easy to discover what words are frequently repeated in hymns—words that are important to singers of Christian songs. Among frequently repeated words are “eternal,” “forever,” “everlasting,” “endless,” “eternally,” and “eternity.” There is no time limit to the relationship God has with His faithful people. This makes it easy for us to begin a hymn by singing confidently “Thine forever, God of love” (LSB 687:1) or to conclude a hymn with the words that affirm what God in steadfast love has done for us: “You had mercy so that we might be saved eternally” (LSB 559:5). God is with us through time and beyond it as well—a great reason for us to rejoice endlessly!