Happy Monday! I am excited to let you know that there will be another single releasing this Friday called His Loving Kindness. I want to take a moment to explain the lyrics behind this song.
Let’s get started...
I see kindness all over Your face
I cry out for mercy
Over my city
Send forth Your mercy
through the power of grace
Send forth Your mercy over my city
Your loving kindness
is all around us
Through every battle
You’re still in control
I see Your kindness
Transforming this place
With every heart beat, You radiate
We see Your kindness all over this place
May Your power and grace keep transforming this place.
Your loving kindness
is all around us
Through every battle
You’re still in control
Through every battle x3
You’re still in control
Cause, It’s Your transformation grace
That shines through our face
Send forth Your mercy
through the power of grace
Send forth Your mercy over my city
Your loving kindness
is all around us
Through every battle
You’re still in control
I learned something in an online study this past week and it’s the Hebrew word Hesed. Merciful loving kindness.
Here is a small part of the article: https://www.gotquestions.org/meaning-of-hesed.html
“Hesed surpasses ordinary kindness and friendship. It is the inclination of the heart to show ‘amazing grace’ to the one who is loved. Hesed runs deeper than social expectations, responsibilities, fluctuating emotions, or what is deserved or earned by the recipient. Hesed finds its home in committed, familial love, and it comes to life in actions.”
This perfectly explains the impression I got when reading this passage of scripture last year that finished this song for me:
“The LORD said, ‘Should I tell Abraham what I am going to do now? Abraham’s children will certainly become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. I have chosen him so he would command his children and his descendants to live the way the LORD wants them to, to live right and be fair. Then I, the LORD, will give Abraham what I promised him.’ Then the LORD said, ‘I have heard many complaints against the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. They are very evil. I will go down and see if they are as bad as I have heard. If not, I will know.’ So the men turned and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood there before the LORD. Then Abraham approached him and asked, ‘Do you plan to destroy the good people along with the evil ones? What if there are fifty good people in that city? Will you still destroy it? Surely you will save the city for the fifty good people living there. Surely you will not destroy the good people along with the evil ones; then they would be treated the same. You are the judge of all the earth. Won’t you do what is right?’ The LORD said, ‘If I find fifty good people in the city of Sodom, I will save the whole city because of them.’ Then Abraham said, ‘Though I am only dust and ashes, I have been brave to speak to the Lord. What if there are only forty-five good people in the city? Will you destroy the whole city for the lack of five good people?’ The LORD said, ‘If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy the city.’ Again Abraham said to him, ‘If you find only forty good people there, will you destroy the city?’ The LORD said, ‘If I find forty, I will not destroy it.’ Then Abraham said, ‘Lord, please don’t be angry with me, but let me ask you this. If you find only thirty good people in the city, will you destroy it?’ He said, ‘If I find thirty good people there, I will not destroy the city.’ Then Abraham said, ‘I have been brave to speak to the Lord. But what if there are twenty good people in the city?’ He answered, ‘If I find twenty there, I will not destroy the city.’ Then Abraham said, ‘Lord, please don’t be angry with me, but let me bother you this one last time. What if you find ten there?’ He said, ‘If I find ten there, I will not destroy it.’ When the LORD finished speaking to Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.”
Genesis 18:17-33 NCV
In The Passion Translation, verse 25 says it like this: “Abraham the intercessor is talking to God and says, ‘That’s not who you are - one who slay the righteous with the wicked - treating them both the same way! Wouldn’t the Merciful Judge of all the earth always do what is right?’
The footnotes say the word right means to act justly. Abraham appeals to Yahweh not only to spare the righteous, but for His merciful heart to be expressed. Yahweh’s character, not the character of the people of Sodom, is what is on the line. Abraham stands alone before Yahweh and pleads for the lives of wicked people to be spared. This moved God’s heart, and He granted each request Abraham made until Abraham stopped asking. Abraham asked six times. What would have happened if Abraham has asked the seventh time? Abraham did not change the mind of God; he demonstrated what was already on God’s heart.
This is a commentary, and so please take these words and weigh them with the Lord as He reveals it to you. But for me, it speaks this. Abraham was given an opportunity to contend for his nephew and the judgment to come to that city. He interceded, and the Lord’s desire was for this to happen. This convicted me so much. Think back a year ago. George Floyd. The injustice. The protests. My heart was grieving all the losses. And right here, I found a passage that someone chose to ask/plead/pray/intercede for mercy. And the Merciful Judge demonstrated what was already in His heart. Folks, HE IS FOR US!!! A year later, to see the case settled for the Floyd family, was a piece of justice served.
Again, His loving kindness prevails. It might not look as though we had expected, but His loving kindness is all around us. Even when it feels like the battles rage on, it’s a choice to fight alone or to posture ourselves to take our battles to the Merciful Judge.
Our God saves those who are lost!!
I hope this encourages you today. There is so much more I could say about being a watchman and watchwoman for our cities. We are the believers of this city. Take a stand and pray! Our Annual National Day of Prayer Rally will be held on Armor Field this Thursday, May 6th. Please mark your calendars. These are critical historical times in our world’s history. We have an opportunity to participate, and it’s an honor to do so!! Praying together in unity warms our Heavenly Father’s heart.
Until next time,
Stay tender.
Connect to the Mender.
Be a sender.