4 Minute Read + Scripture readings

Today’s Bible Reading:

Judges 20
Acts 24
Jeremiah 34
Psalms 5-6

Today’s Bible Verse(s):

Psalm 5:7 (CSB): “But I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love; I bow down toward your holy temple in reverential awe of you.”

Reflections on Today’s Bible Verse(s):

The word for “faithful love” in our verse for today is the Hebrew word “hesed.” It may not sound that attractive in the original language (you have to clear your throat to properly pronounce the first letter). But it is one of the most beautiful words in the Old Testament.

In fact, it seems to have been one of King David’s favorite words. Hesed means “faithful love,” “loyalty,” “kindness,” and those kinds of words. It speaks to a kind of love that satisfies your inner being … and it will NEVER be taken away from you.

Imagine a young child who’s mom didn’t want him at childbirth so she gave him away to an orphanage. He felt so unloved that he developed an attitude to protect himself from rejection. Families would express interest in adopting him, but even though he craved to be loved and accepted for who he was, he did things to push them away. He couldn’t bear the pain of feeling loved and then potentially getting rejected. Then, a couple came to the adoption agency and over a lengthy amount of time, finalized the adoption process and took him home as their child. He pushed them away, he had an attitude, he didn’t return the love that they expressed for him … but they kept loving him anyway. Over and over, he tried to push them away but they kept loving him.

Finally, one day, with tears in his eyes, he blurted out to them: “I’ve disrespected you. I’ve hurt you. I’ve caused you unspeakable heartache. And yet you keep loving me! Why!” His parents, with love and tears in their eyes responded: “Because you belong to us. You’re our son. There’s nothing you can do to make us stop loving you.”

That’s “hesed.” That’s faithful love. It’s a love that will never be taken away from you no matter what you do. And its the kind of love that God has for us.

Psalm 23:6 “Only goodness and faithful love (hesed) will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live.”

Psalm 36:5 (CSB): “LORD, your faithful love (hesed) reaches to heaven, your faithfulness to the clouds.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 (CSB): “Because of the LORD’s faithful love (hesed) we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!”

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Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me. Thank You that Your love for me can and will never be taken away. Help me to live loved and to demonstrate by my life my love for my God. Amen.

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