“O praise the Lord, all you nations! Praise Him, all you people! For His lovingkindness prevails over us [and we triumph and overcome through Him], And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) (Psalm 117:1-2 AMP)
Can we take a moment and be glad for the prevailing love of God in our individual and collective story? Whatever the enemy throws at us, God is able to rework it for His glory. Love prevails in our lives!
To fully appreciate this verse, we might remind ourselves of the definition of prevailing. To prevail is to prove to be more powerful than the opposing forces. (Oxford) To be clear: God’s love is the most powerful force in the universe.
When we consider prevailing forces, we may think of gravity. No one on earth can prevail against gravity: it is a force that rules us all, small and great alike. We are each equally subject to it’s effects.
Then I think of our dear Jesus; lifting off toward heaven. (I’d love to have seen that firsthand!) Jesus alone, was able to prevail against gravity. But He didn’t stop there. We consider the scope of His ministry and we realize He also prevailed against disease and disability and despair and darkness and death.
Each of these victories found their fuel in prevailing love. Jesus shed heaven and put on flesh in prevailing love. He grew up and walked and talked and taught in prevailing love. He healed broken bodies and restored lost souls in prevailing love. He endured false accusation and uncalled for crucifixion in prevailing love. He rose from the dead and triumphed over the grave in prevailing love. He ascended into heaven and awaits instruction from the Father in prevailing love. He sent His Holy Spirit to buttress our weakness in prevailing love. One day, He’ll return to gather His people and lead them to His Home in prevailing love.
Prevailing love is the most powerful force on earth. Prevailing love is still at work in this dusty, dying world of ours. And we are all – aware or oblivious – subject to it’s compulsion.
The beginning of the very next chapter further instructs us on our appropriate response to prevailing love. Psalm 117 said to praise Him, Psalm 118 tells us to give thanks. We give thanks and praise to God for His prevailing love that renders us victorious over sin.
“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1 AMP)
Thank God for prevailing love! What a wonder that we are allowed to bow under it’s weight!
Lord, we are so grateful for Your prevailing love. Where would we be apart from Your affection? Thank You for loving us while we were still unloveable. Please give us strength to love You well in response, happy to submit to the force of Your devotion. Let Your love live and flow through us freely. Amen.