Tag Archives: Thought

Hesed: Steadfast Love, Goodness, Kindness, Faithfulness, & Mercy

Hesed ImageCharlotte’s prayers are so sweet. I wish everyone could hear them. She prays that we would all know how much Jesus loves us, that we would love ourselves as Jesus loves us, and of course, she prays for Mary who is always getting into trouble. I want my prayers to be more like hers. They naturally overflow with hesed.

Hesed is, by far, my favorite Hebrew word. My guess is it will soon be yours as well.

Hesed [1] means steadfast love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, or mercy. [2] The late R.C. Sproul described it as loyal love. I like that. It’s sorta like our word for love. Not only in meaning, but also in the sense that we use it to mean a lot of different things. In fact, we probably over-use it: We say we love our spouse, our kids, & our coffee.

Hesed occurs 245 times in the OT (1st in Gen. 19:19, last in Zech. 7:9 [3] ). Arguably, the NT equivalent would be the Greek word charis or GRACE (favor, kindness). [4]

  • Hesed has a vertical component; God gives hesed to us.
  • Hesed has also a horizontal component; we give hesed to each other.

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love [hesed] of the LORD. – Psa.107:43, (ESV)

OK, so most people do not like to read the OT. Its hard to understand and doesn’t seem relevant. We get hung up on all the begats, don’t we? Well, if that’s the case: I am giving you permission to skip over the begats. But I think its more than that. We also think the OT paints a picture of God that we don’t really like: full of wrath! This is a real shame. Because that’s not how God describes Himself:

The Lord passed before him, & proclaimed ‘Yahweh, the Lord, a God merciful & gracious, slow to anger, & abounding in steadfast love & faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the 1,000th  generation, forgiving iniquity & transgression & sin.’ – Exd. 34:6-7

Not just love. Not just steadfast love. But – ABOUNDING in steadfast love! KEEPING steadfast love! Yahweh repeatedly describes Himself as being full of hesed. Oh, don’t think I am watering it down for you: God is holy, holy, holy (Isa. 6:3) and sin must be recompensed (Rom. 6:23). But, God is also abounding in hesed.

Jesus, of course, perfectly embodies hesed in the NT:

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. – Acts 10:38

Over & over again, the Bible tells us Jesus went around  helping & healing (Matt. 4:23, 9:35). This is hesed in action! This is how we imitate Christ; by helping & healing. To be Christlike is to be devoted to each other in brotherly hesed (Rom. 12:10).

Ultimately, Jesus showed supreme hesed by laying down His life for ours (1 John 3:16). This is how we know what love is: sacrificial hesed. When you think of God, think of hesed. When you think of Jesus, think of hesed. And when you think of your fellow man, think of hesed. Just like Charlotte’s prayers, our lives ought to naturally overflow with lovingkindness and steadfast love.

Now, you can see why hesed is my favorite Hebrew word. Is it yours?

[1] http://biblehub.com/hebrew/2617.htm

[2] http://biblehub.com/hebrew/chesed_2617.htm

[3] http://pastorseansblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/word-study-of-checed-or-hesed-h2617.html

[4] http://biblehub.com/greek/5485.htm

R.C. Sproul, Loyal Love: https://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-hesed/

Ever Look For Your Car Keys in the Freezer?

man-looking-in-freezer-face-obscured-by-door-side-view-200455254-001-57c5ecff5f9b5855e50428d8We are all looking for something, aren’t we? What is it that you looking for? Wisdom (experience, career)? Knowledge (facts, degrees)? Happiness (marriage, relationships)? Peace (also marriage and relationships… just kidding)? Riches (security, comfort)? Whatever it is, ALL is found in Jesus.

All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him – Col. 2:3

If you are looking anywhere else, then you are barking up the wrong tree. You know, that is a pretty funny expression now that I am actually thinking about it; the dog has chased a cat up a tree and is now barking at it, but the cat is in another tree? Silly dog. However, that is what I want you to envision if you are looking for…. lets say, self-fulfillment, in any other place than in Jesus. Yep, you are that silly dog barking up the wrong the tree. Come on, dog! Ya got the wrong tree!

If I were looking for something in the wrong place, I would want someone to tell me. Constantly searching sounds too exhausting. I would much rather rest. Its like looking for the car keys in the refrigerator. They probably aren’t there. If I were rummaging through the freezer looking for my keys and you knew where they were – I would want you to tell me.

If you are not looking to Jesus, then you are looking in the freezer for your car keys.

ALL treasures are found in Him. Satisfaction for your heart? In Him. Satisfaction for your mind? In Him. Satisfaction for your bones? ALL are found in Him. I promise you: Jesus doesn’t come up short. Jesus doesn’t disappoint. Jesus doesn’t leave you holding the check. Jesus doesn’t promise, and then not deliver. In fact, He over-delivers. He exceeds. He excels.

Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], – Eph. 3:20a (AMP)

Anything worth knowing, is known in Him. Anything worth finding, is found in Him. Anything worth discovering is discovered in Him. Think about that: All the secret riches that can potentially come out of all intelligence and understanding is revealed in Christ! That’s why Paul calls it treasure. Treasure is priceless, precious, and rare. The closest to finding treasure I ever got was using a metal detector at the beach one summer. Man, you never saw a kid more excited over a quarter. You would have thought I found the Heart of the Ocean or something. Jesus is talking about FOR REAL treasure. Not some rusty old quarter! Life treasure. Soul treasure. Eternal Treasure. True fortune.

Treasures are hidden, aren’t they? They are buried. They require some digging. They must be unearthed.  You have to remove the dirt to find the treasure. We have a lot of dirt piled up in our lives. We are buried in it! Jesus can remove the dirt – if you will let Him. He wants to unearth the potential underneath all the guck and grime.

The most worthwhile treasure you can ever possess is knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. It may take some digging, but it is well worth it.

Compromise

I Cor. 14:8
I Cor. 14:8

Compromise is a good thing, right? Compromise solves problems. Compromise allows both sides to have a little victory. In marriage, compromise is must. Brittany and I have learned how to resolve many issues using compromise. In politics, compromise is a vital tool to obtain diplomacy.

This may seem like common sense but, when it comes to our faith, compromise is not an option. The Bible is the authority, not my thoughts on it or your thoughts on it or anybody’s thoughts on it for that matter.

2 Tim. 3:16 says All Scripture is God-breathed. God-breathed beats man-breathed. Every single time. Period. End of story. Want to argue that point? You’re argument is already invalid. You want to argue the God-breathed part? Good luck, son. You on your own. Proverbs 9:10 says that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Second-guessing God-breathed Scripture doesn’t sound like fearing the LORD to me.

Secularists want us to compromise. The world wants us to bend a little here and tweak a little there. You know, no big deal. “God didn’t mean stuff literally. You know that, right? It’s the 21st century, you seriously believe in Creation? The Flood? The Virgin birth?”

Yes. If it’s in the Scripture, then yes. No compromise. No apologies. I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God! Romans 1:16

Compromising to the world says man has some better ideas than God. Compromising to the world says man is smarter than God on certain things. (Wow, that was actually difficult just to type).

If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? I Cor. 14:8. Compromising takes a certain note and tweaks it. But the truth is, now that note is a different note. Make sure you know the right note so you can be ready with when you hear it!

One last thought: “Compromise” is “promise” with the prefix “com-” (which means “with,” or “together.”) Therefore, compromising takes God’s promise and joins it together with man’s changes. Yeah, no thanks.

God Bless!

#Compromise #NotAshamed #Truth