THINK TOGETHER
What is the best thing in your life?
READ TOGETHER
Today I want to teach you a word in Hebrew. Hebrew is the language that the Old Testament was written in. It is the language that Abraham, and Moses, and Esther, and David spoke and wrote in. In Hebrew there is a very important word, maybe even the MOST important word, that helps us understand God – Hesed. (Pronounced with short vowel sounds)
Hesed refers to the love of God. But it is about more than just the feelings of love. It is about the promises and actions of love too. God makes covenants with his people. Do you remember what a covenant is? It is a set of promises that bind two people together. Promises that can never be broken. And when God makes these covenant promises it is always because he loves us. God made a promise to always love Abraham’s family and David’s family. And in Jesus, God promises to always love us too.
So now let’s look at a psalm where the word hesed is used. You won’t hear the word hesed because we are reading in English not Hebrew. But see if you can guess which English words mean hesed:
Psalm 63:1-3. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
What words do you think mean hesed? If you said “steadfast love” then you’re right.
Steadfast love means it never ends, and never quits, and never gives up on you. Steadfast love is faithful, and loyal, and true. God’s love for us doesn’t come and go. It doesn’t grow or shrink. It never changes. And most important, God’s love is never about how good or bad you are, or how much you love God. God loves you because he promises to love you.
And David says that this love of God, his hesed is the best thing in life. It is “better than life.”
What did you say is the best thing in your life? Do you think that God’s love for you is the best thing in your life? I hope so. Why? Because without God’s love for us we would not have God’s own eternal life.
God’s eternal life?
Yes. That is what Jesus came to share with us when he came to earth. He didn’t just come to show us how to live a nice life and be loving and kind. He came to share his very own life and love with us through the cross. Jesus said the same thing that David did – “your love is better than life.” Jesus was willing to die for us because love was better than staying alive. Jesus died for our sins so that we could be loved by God forever. And then God’s love made Jesus come back to life three days later. God’s love was better and stronger than death!
Now because of Jesus we have the hesed of God, just like David did and just like Jesus did. We are loved forever and ever no matter what. Now nothing can take God’s love away from us. Nothing. Not our sin. Not our mistakes. Not our forgetting to love. Not even death itself. And knowing that we are loved like this is the best thing in life.
Because of Jesus God promises to love us forever and ever no matter what.
With Jesus I can love others no matter what because I know that I am always loved.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Share the love of God with someone today. Let someone know that God loves them and that you love them too! Maybe make a card for a neighbor or make a video call to friends or family. Choose someone who could use some cheering up in God’s love.
And
Here’s a good song about needing God’s love.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
Your love is the best thing ever. Help me to show your love to others too the way you have shown it to me.
Amen.
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