Tag Archives: lovingkindness

May 3 – Lovingkindness

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Psalm 106-107

I’ve never really thought much about the word, “lovingkindness.” I know what it means, I suppose. I think I have a pretty good picture in my  mind what it looks like. But as I sit here this morning, I can’t think of an example I’ve read or heard where “lovingkindness” is used to describe anyone but God.

The psalmist uses the word a lot. Even when speaking about God’s discipline of His disobedient children. On one hand he tells of Israel’s struggles in the wilderness, their worship of idols, their constant whining. Then he tells them to thank God for His lovingkindness.

So here’s what I want to take away from these Scriptures today. God is perfect in love and in kindness. He’s like a nursing mother who gazes into the face of her child, heart bursting with love while she holds him close, touches his cheeks, examines his tiny fingers. God is like that daddy who puts those tiny shoes on his daughter’s Barbie because her little fingers can’t do it herself. He’s like the parent who plays catch with the kids in the backyard, even after an exhausting day at work. God is like the grandparent who kneels by the bed ever night to pray for grandchildren through tears of joy or sorrow.

God’s perfect love and perfect kindness cannot be separated. And His lovingkindness is directed toward me. It envelopes me.

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so… (Psalm 107:1-2a)

March 13 – blessingsandobedience

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Deuteronomy 5-7

Someone sneezes, and you hear, “Bless you.” When you’re in the south, the words, “Bless your heart” are used in sympathy or to acknowledge a kindness. I, myself, have intentionally eliminated the word, “lucky” from my vocabulary and replaced it with the word, “blessed.” And if you part company with a loved one, you might find  yourself saying to that person, “God bless you.”

I believe the Bible clearly reveals that God loves to bless people. Look around. Nature is a blessing. Family is a blessing. Freedom is a blessing. Health, money to pay bills, our jobs are blessings

But God is interested in blessing us with more personal blessings, too. And I think, from what I read in the Bible, those intimate and precious blessings are tied to obedience. They go hand in hand. It’s like one word all fused together.

These chapters in Deuteronomy give us several examples of this:

Obey God’s commandments so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. (6: 1-2)

O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you… (6: 3)

You shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you… (6: 18)

So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. (6:24)

Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments. (7:9)

Then it shall come about, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you His covenant and His lovingkindness which He swore to your forefathers. (7:12)

Now don’t misunderstand me. Obedience isn’t the magic key that opens the door to getting what we want. It’s the key that opens the door to receiving what God wants for us.

May you obey our Lord today… and be blessed.