My new favorite word chesed. In the Hebrew language it is used for love and devotion. But your study on the word can go so, so deep. This is the case for any word within the Hebrew language. The deeper you go the more of a picture you can form in your head on the subject.
Chesed, from my studies can take on several forms. And people use it in several forms in their writing. For instance, love is one. But when you really look at the background. It is not just love. I love that part about it. Vine wrote, "love alone easily becomes sentimentalized and universalized". The so-called meaning of "love" is passed around so easily. Love is just another no meaning word in our culture today.
When you study chesed it rips another layer off of the surface of what love is to you, just so you can see into it a little bit more. So, what would make love more real and deep? What would make love more powerful. What would make it change? I'll give you the whole passage that I read from Vine.
"One may identify three basic meanings of chesed and the three meanings always interact--strength, steadfast, and love. Any understanding of chesed that fails to suggest all three, inevitably loses some of its riches. Love by itself easily becomes sentimentalized and universalized apart from the covenant. Yet strength and steadfastness suggest only fulfillment of a legal obligation."
As I am writing this, I'm hoping that the reader will understand what I see. I have been reading over it all week and my own studies allow me to get a picture. Which it is so important for every believer to read and study on their own. If You enjoy a subject, make a note and look into it more so you can understand it more. That is your freedom and obligation as a believer. That is to be transformed by the renewing of the word daily.
But love left alone is a good word. You add strength and steadfastness to it and there is a more solid foundation to work upon. There is something to look forward to within it. There is loyalty and respect. I see an order and obligation in the situation. Order and obligation is not a bad thing. Without these, love just gets tossed around. Without them there is nothing concrete keeping God or a person from getting up and walking away.
With the knowledge of chesed we have trust in God or another. I'll give you a good example of why I understand this a little bit more. It's a little personal and makes me feel vulnerable, but personal touches people. Vulnerability allows growth for everyone.
If you have read or listened to the videos before you, then you know that I have gone through a divorce and then remarried. I did remarry rather quick. It wasn't even a year after my divorce. We both loved each other, and knew it was right. We both were in our thirties and was ready to settle down.
We have been married for two years. They have been a great two years. I have struggled, though. Although I trust him completely, I had some scars of rejection within me. So, with those scars, I had some insecurities. And anyone that has been married for any length of time knows that a good marriage is not what you would call a perfect marriage. Marriage no matter who you are takes work. It takes daily grace, sacrifice, understanding, forgiveness. In order for you and another person to become one and to be partners it takes both parties offering this.
Well, there has been several moments where I have broken down because of my scars. I want to put this disclaimer out there for everyone. I don't want any reader to think that I am badmouthing my ex in any way. Yes, I have triggers because divorce is not fun. Anyone that goes through a divorce, whichever side you are on, it hurts. So, both had to heal from it. But there has been forgiveness and a moving on for both sides.
But I still had certain triggers, that I carried over into this marriage. There have been moments where Justin and I would have a disagreement, some voices would be raised. Then I would ask do you want out? I don't know if I was thinking maybe that would be the easiest way to go, or if I was concerned that he was thinking that and would want to leave. My therapist said it was my coping mechanism. It was me going ahead of him and preparing and protecting myself from what I felt was the inevitable. Him just leaving.
Well, Justin even in his frustration from the disagreement has always showed chesed. Love, strength, and steadfastness. He has admitted that we might have got married a little too soon after the divorce. But what has helped me to trust and understand that he wouldn’t leave is he said "but we are here and I love you. And there is no divorce in our future." He was sincere. He has been adamant about letting me know several times after a disagreement that he is not going anywhere for my own piece of mind. You see he told me he loved me but he showed steadfastness but sticking to our covenant as a husband and wife. He showed strength and it has strengthened my trust in him. It has strengthened what I was so insecure about within me.
That is the chesed of God. He is with us and he will never leave us nor forsake us. He has a covenant with his people. If you have asked Jesus into your heart, then you are his people. We can trust him. There is so many things in this fallen world that tries to hinder us from seeing that we can trust him. We have a choice to trust him, though. We learn to trust by spending time with him in his word and prayer. By listening to others talk about their life with him. Hearing testimonies. This allows strength to be built with in our relationship with him.
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