My Favorite Word in the Bible
My favorite word in the Bible is lovingkindness. I’ve been a connoisseur of the concept for nearly 30 years. I know that for a fact because in 1984, I started keeping a notebook of God’s lovingkindnesses that He shows me. The purpose of the notebook is to remind me of how God has shown me His love, so I don’t forget and so I can share and encourage others with God’s lovingkindness.
A form of that notebook even plays a key role in my newly released suspense novel “The Will of the Enemy.” (http://bit.ly/16HV5Yv)
Let’s spend some time on the topic. Off the bat, let’s define the word. Lovingkindnesses are the special little unexpected things God does for us because He loves us, even though we don’t deserve them and don’t even think to pray for them. Lovingkindness is special, undeserved royal treatment from the King of Kings.
Lovingkindness is not a dream, it’s a fact. When you grasp it, it will change your life, and you will never be the same.
God has much to say about this topic, but here’s the best proof from God: Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Read that again. It’s spectacular.
God says not to brag about how smart, strong or rich you are. If you’re going to brag about anything, let it be that you know and understand Him, specifically that he is the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. God takes pleasure in those three things.
Let’s take your salvation. If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, and therefore you know you have a right relationship with God because Jesus died and rose again to pay the penalty for your sins, guess what. You didn’t come to grasp that saving concept by your smarts. Remember, before that, you were blind, deaf and dumb to what Jesus Christ is all about. He had to take the first step toward you. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jer. 31:3) God drew you with His lovingkindness. That’s how you came to the understanding leading to salvation. And He didn’t stop there. In fact, He shows lovingkindness to everyone. A person doesn’t even have to know Him in order to experience His lovingkindness. You don’t even have to be a human being to experience God’s lovingkindness. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26)
Remember that lovingkinesses are God’s acts and words of love. We are going to dive into this, and over the next two weeks, you will know God in a different way. Come back and see more!