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Steadfast Love

 

joel 2-13Steadfast Love is the English translation for the Hebrew word “hesed;”  one of my favorite concepts in the Old Testament that requires multiple words and ideas to understand.  Hesed is too big a concept to contain in a word.  Hesed is God’s love for us- covenantal everlasting, merciful, kind, gracious, tender, never ending, unchanging, steadfast…and more.

Just sit with those words for a few minutes…

Into the midst of our mess, disappointments, questions, sadness, struggles, tension in relationships, inner turmoil, sin, shame, fear… God speaks hesed. “I love you with an everlasting, steadfast, tender, unchanging love.”

sigh, deep breath… a little bit of peace settles into my heart and mind.

Nothing can change Gods heart toward us – not our mistakes, sins, hiding, anger, questions, doubts -we may turn away but His face is towards us, His heart is fully ours.  He chose me.  He chose YOU!

Chosen.  Delighted in. Loved with an Everlasting, steadfast, unchanging Love.

No matter what! We only need to open our hands and hearts to receive and embrace it.

We have all experienced the pain of not being chosen –

  • standing there hoping our name is called for a team at recess -“please don’t let me be picked last.”
  • trying out for a play, a sport, a sorority and waiting by the phone for the call that never comes
  • being a bridesmaid … again – wondering if someone will love us enough to say those magic words, “will you marry me?”
  • at another baby shower, longing for it to be ours
  • in court, watching the love of our life walk away.
  • surfing Facebook and seeing the parties and events we weren’t invited to
  • applauding as our friend accepts the award we wanted
  • cheering for her, when in our heart of hearts we desperately wanted it to be me

Into these fears, disappointments, sorrow, and wonderings…God says, “I choose you! now and forever.”

[Tweet “We’ve all experienced the pain of not being chosen. Into our fears & disappointments God says, “I choose you now & forever!”]

Into our longing to be seen, known and chosen… God speaks hesed.

What does this truth stir up in your heart?  How does it speak to your story?  How would embracing God’s hesed change you as it seeped into your heart, mind and daily life?

She Reads Truth- Lent 2015-Weekly Truth (day 5)

 

 

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