Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of His heritage? He doesn’t retain His anger forever, because He delights in lovingkindness. Micah 7:18
“Finally, as the love of God defines us, so hesed provides the full meaning of that love. His lovingkindness radically redefines us — from fallen to beloved, from outcasts to daughters and sons. Hesed resonates in us because it is a part of who we were created to become; it represents what we are being transformed, recreated, reborn, redeemed to be. We must become hasids, not simply those who go about doing good works but men and women who are completely dependent on the hesed of God, conquered by His kindness, reborn to a life of unconditional love.”
Michael Card in Inexpressible Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness (Downers Grove: IVP, 2018) 138.
Today’s post comes from another Daily Meditations reader and friend, Carolyn Herbert, who is enjoying this study of the intersection of kindness and generosity. Thanks Carolyn!
Card teaches us that hesed, God’s lovingkindness toward us, does not merely make us people who do good things, but it conquers and transforms us. Think about that.
This is a profound idea. God does not need us to do things for Him. He loves us so much that He does not leave us fallen and broken but makes us His daughters and sons.
To become hasids, we are “conquered by His kindness” and remade into distributors of His unconditional love and kindness.
Often, and even when evil abounds, I proclaim, “Nothing can touch love!” It covers a multitude of sins. It’s the only good that overcomes evil.
So, the secret to God’s work in our lives is His hesed toward us. Sit with God for five minutes right now. Rest in today’s Scripture. Likely, you too will respond, “There is no God like our God!”
If you want to go live a generous life, let God conquer you with His lovingkindness. You will be reborn, become fully dependent on Him, and find that He makes you into a conduit of kindness.