"Hesed" and the Steadfast Love of God
One of my son’s most comforting experiences in this life is when I cover him with his favorite blanket at bedtime. We have a routine of billowing the soft, fleece blanket above his body and allowing it to fall completely over him before we pray together at the end of each day. This has been a part of his nightly experience since he was a toddler.
In fact, when he was still developing his speech, Micah would murmur “haaan-chez” as we would tuck him in at bedtime. We were not sure what he was saying at the time, but we later discovered this was his word for the wonderful feeling of comfort that can only be found in the coziness of one’s own bed. It was his interruption of his older sister’s exaggeration of the sound a person makes when snoring. When Abby Jayne took part in this evening ritual with her little bro, she would lay down with him and pretend to snore to encourage him to fall asleep. Snoring sounds became “haaaan-chez” to Micah. So, now our family uses this word to describe our most comforting experiences in life.
There is a family word in the Bible that is repeated more than 250 times, and it is as interesting to say aloud as “haaana-chez!” The word is hesed, a Hebrew word that describes the steadfast love of God for His people. This love is unconditional, unwavering and unlike any other kind of love described in the scriptures.
Hesed is a familial term because it is a love that is reserved for the children of our Heavenly Father.
It is a family word worth considering closely.
I was first intrigued by this word, hesed, when I studied Psalm 107 with the women of Orchard Hill Church last fall. We spent 7 weeks looking closely at this liturgical Psalm, and it made such an impression on me that I have endeavored to concentrate on the theme of hesed found in God’s Word for this year, 2020. Each time I come across God’s steadfast love; I mark my Bible with #hesed2020. It is thrilling to discover hesed in Lamentations of all places, as I read the Bible with a 2-year Bible reading plan. “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Hesed is described as abundant in verse 32 of Lamentations 3 and as enduring forever in Jeremiah 33. The prophet Jeremiah makes hesed a part of his prayer when he asks God to show His steadfast love to thousands! (Jeremiah 32:18). The Psalmist talks about God’s name being the glory among all the nations for the sake of his hesed and His faithfulness (Psalms 115:1) I challenge you readers, children of God, to look for hesed in His Word and to look for His faithfulness in your life!
When God’s people experience the unconditional, unwavering, faithful love of our heavenly Father, we are much more accepting of His “strong hand and outstretched arm” of discipline in our lives when we need it. A parent disciplines their child out of love and a desire to bring the child back into a restored relationship within the family. People are born into this world as sinners, set apart from our Creator, who is holy and perfect. In His gracious plan for mankind, God made a way for His sinful children to have a relationship with Him. We admit we are sinners. We believe in His Son, Jesus. And we commit to following Him as our Lord and Savior. Psalm 136:23-26 tells us that because of God’s hesed, we are remembered in our low estate, rescued from our foes of sin and death, and we are provided for forever. That is the good, good love of our Father for His children. What is our response? “Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 136:26)
Giving thanks in a season of the corona crisis and reminding one another of God’s faithfulness brings comfort. When I phone a person in our church to offer prayers for her family and she prays for mine, I experience God’s faithfulness. When my daughter in Seattle is given the opportunity to quarantine with a family about when her social isolation was peaking in loneliness, I remember God’s faithfulness. When my neighbor and I have margin in our lives to take daily walks together, 6 feet apart of course, I see the faithfulness of God as we discuss what He’s been teaching each of us in our From Fear to Faith Bible study.