Chesed

It is so cool to be in a church, as I did on this last Sunday of June, and sing a hymn translated from Norwegian by one of my great teachers here at Luther, Gracia Grindal. The song, "The numberless gifts of God's mercies," tells of the fathomless love of God. Graca likens this love to 'dew of the morning shining and full, and the stars of night in their ageless beauty.' These comparisons tell in part what this love is. However, when viewed from the perspective of 'the numberless gifts of God's mercies,' this allows us to become open to a broader definition. This definition does not make it any easier for understanding what it really means, but Graca's fathomlessness of God's love is embedded in the phrases, "numberless gifts of God's mercies."
An illustration of the water melon might suffice, especially in today's summer heat when a water melon becomes very welcome. A watermelon, when cut up, makes many pieces which in and of themselves do not make a melon. These water melon pieces when shared are analogous to acceptance, loved, belongingness, forgiven, provided for, guided, noticed, appreciated, remembered, trusted, talked to and many other "pieces." It is both humbling and refreshing to be reminded that personal attempts to define God's love form only part of what God's love means. Caution for me and all on this last Sunday of June is that, present in today's culture, is the temptation to construct personal gods for personal pleasure, including deconstructing when dissatisfied with . I tell ya, many constructions abound including those of Pride which God's Word, Chesed, deconstructed and continues to deconstruct till done. I say, YES !
Stay blessed and whole, dear reader!