“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7a).

The words above describing God’s steadfast love and faithfulness are an attempt to translate the Hebrew word “hesed,” which appears 248 times in Scripture. According to various lexicons, when this Hebrew word is used in Scripture, it is translated as one or more of the following words: grace, kindness, goodness, piety, beauty, favor, good deeds, lovingkindness, mercy/merciful. Sally Lloyd Jones talks about “hesed” as God’s never-stopping. never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever kind of love. Is that not beautiful? I cannot read or repeat this without a catch in my throat.

This love is ours for the asking, for the receiving. Notably, Jonah, in the belly of the fish, said, “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace (hesed) that could be theirs” (Jonah 2:8).

Jonah was learning. He knew intellectually about the grace of God, but he did not want it extended to Nineveh. He felt they were undeserving. The problem here is that it is not up to us as to who is deserving of God’s grace and mercy. (Thank God!). Jonah tried to run from God, both literally and in his disobedience. But God pursued him and yet allowed him to reach the depths of his mess in the bottom of the sea in the belly of the fish. Finally, when ‘Jonah could run no more, he prayed to God. “In my distress, I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry” (Jonah 2:2).

And when Jonah prayed, God answered. “And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land (Jonah 2:10).

God loves us with an everlasting love, yet we must realize our desperate need for him. We must cling to him only. If we grasp for other sources of help, we will miss the grace, the hesed, of God. Remember, in the words of the Apostle Paul: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).

“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.” (Jonah 2:8-9).

In Christ,

Judy