February is the “Love Month” and shhhhh... Don’t tell my husband but I am pretty sure Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday. I know, I know, it’s all “Hallmark”, commercialized, and money making frivolity but for me, it’s simpler than that. There is something about drawing a red heart on a piece of paper and giving it to the one you, “loved yesterday, love still, always have and always will.” This month I have been thinking about God’s grace and what that means for us, for everyone! It always comes back to grace, the simplicity of grace.
The Hebrew word for grace, in the Old Testament, is Chesed. I give you this word because it is the very essence of God’s love for us and it is translated to mean lovingkindness.
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)
You see it is God’s lovingkindness that draws us to Him. When we were yet sinners, God loved us. When we were yet sinners, God pursued us. We are drawn to His lovingkindness because it is like no other. Lovingkindness also means “loyal love”. This is a covenantal love. A promise, a faithful promise, a marriage covenant.
“I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In lovingkindness and mercy;
I will betroth you to me in faithfulness,
And you shall know the LORD”
Hosea 2:19-20 (NIV)
God never goes back on a promise, He never breaks a covenant. And even when we, like Israel, are unfaithful, His lovingkindness keeps us.
“Again I build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.” Jeremiah 31:4 (NIV)
His grace, His lovingkindness draws us to Him and restores us! This is a love worth celebrating! This is a love worthy of praise!
Your love has found us
Your love has found us
We are yours forever
Your love has found us
It's all around us
Holding us together
(“Love Has Found Us” - Gateway Worship)
When I think about this kind of love, I can’t help but be overwhelmed. How about you? It is my prayer that we would be daughters who seek to know our Father’s lovingkindness. Let us be daughters who rest in His lovingkindness. Let us be daughters who let His lovingkindness fill us up and overflow from our hearts and our lips!
Post by: Jimmie Lee DiIanni
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