In church last week we studied the Hebrew word, chesed, which means steadfast love, mercy, loving-kindness... The context in which we examined the word was pouring out our hearts to God. Only by emptying ourselves, even through complaint and lament, can we continue to cling to God's love, His chesed.
Almost a week later a song was stuck in my head. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases..." The simple words, by Edith McNeil in case you want to look up the lyrics yourself, are of course adapted from Lamentations 3.
Lamentations 3:22-23, "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
I went to my trusty Strong's concordance (which is actually my mom's, come to think of it), then to a Bible program on my computer, then to Blue Letter Bible. Sure enough, the word "mercies" is chesed.
So in church this morning the teacher had us going to guess which passage? You guessed it! Lamentations 3. I love when God reminds me He's paying attention and active in the details. So I thought I would share the little message with you.
For more information on the importance of lament in the Bible, or on chesed, read Michael Card's book, A Sacred Sorrow.
To God be all glory.
Hey Lisa,
ReplyDeleteDon't you love it!?
I get as close to "giddy" as I'll ever admit, when I see God's puzzle pieces fit together. =)
Chesed... cool. Microsoft Word doesn't like it, though. =P
Lamentations 3...
Sounds kind of like, the Landlord in Lewis' "Pilgrim's Regress"
"Oh no, you know he's really very kind to let us live here at all... very kind, very kind..." -Paraphrased
God's puzzle pieces... Sean said once, that God doesn't show us the whole puzzle all at once so that we will pay extra special attention to each wonderful, individual piece, and how awesome He is even on the smallest level, fitting it with the rest.
Cool, Lisa.
Keep Smiling... Philippians 4:4 =)
<>< =)
-MAC
P.S.
(Remember, whatever floats your boat
Can also sink your battleship.)