Unfathomable Love….
What actually >IS< unfathomable love? Do you or anyone you know have that kind of love? A love so deep, so wide, so without measure, that nothing or no one can penetrate between you and that other person? A love that never doubts, never gives up, never questions? I wish I could say an emphatic yes, but I can not. During my almost 50 years of being married to my husband, Jim, may his memory be blessed, I had my share of doubts, questions and issues, even though we loved each other fiercely.
So how does that relate to our Creator…the One above all, that ‘loves’ us? Scripture tells us it is, in the Hebrew, called CHESED. So let’s dig into His kind of chesed.
First of all, this Hebrew word CHESED, is a very difficult word to translate into English – as most Hebrew words tend to do. There are a range of words that can be used (and have been) to translate it into English in our Scriptures. One theologian, John Oswalt had the foresight to describe it as “... a completely underserved kindness and generosity”.
Turn with me over to the prophet Isaiah – he says:
“Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love (hesed) for you will not be shaken”. (Isaiah 54:10)
“Unfailing Love”
So, if we go back to our word ‘chesed‘ – we can see that it is an action word – one that requires ‘love‘ to be an action, not a romantic feeling, not some puppy-dog love type of emotion, but a solid, fundamental characteristic of one’s nature. And this is the nature of our God (Yahuah in Hebrew) and it is found in a ‘covenant‘ that He made between Himself and mankind. It is a very active, never-ending covenant. It is a shame that we do not understand the biblical meaning of covenant ~ and that is a blog for a different day.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities,
heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies…” (Psalm 103:3-4 NKJV)“Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction?” (Psalm 88:11 ASV)
“Let not the floodwater overflow me, nor let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut its mouth on me. Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.” (Psalm 69:15-16 NKJV)
Please, stop and re-read those verses…then find some that will heal your heart, encourage you and left you up…..remember… you are in covenant with the lover of your soul!
