Journal Entry from November 16, 2015
Worship: You are Good by Keri Jobe; Mercy Tree by Lacey Sturm
You Are Good Lyrics
Your kindness leads me to repentance
Your goodness draws me to your side
Your mercy calls me to be like You
Your favor is my delight
Everyday I’ll awaken my praise
and pour out a song from my heart
You are good, You are good
You are good and Your mercy is forever
You are good, You are good
You are good, and Your mercy is forever
Your kindness leads me to repentance
Your goodness draws me to Your side
Your mercy calls me to be like You
Your favor is my delight
Everyday I’ll awaken my praise
and pour out a song from my heart
Your kindness is forever
Your goodness is forever
Your mercy is forever, forever
Your goodness draws me to your side
Your mercy calls me to be like You
Your favor is my delight
Everyday I’ll awaken my praise
and pour out a song from my heart
You are good, You are good
You are good and Your mercy is forever
You are good, You are good
You are good, and Your mercy is forever
Your kindness leads me to repentance
Your goodness draws me to Your side
Your mercy calls me to be like You
Your favor is my delight
Everyday I’ll awaken my praise
and pour out a song from my heart
Your kindness is forever
Your goodness is forever
Your mercy is forever, forever
Lyrics taken from <a href=”http://www.elyrics.net/read/k/kari-jobe-lyrics/you-are-good-lyrics.html” rel=”nofollow”>this page</a>
Video:
On a hill called Calvary
Stands an endless mercy tree
Every broke and weary soul
Find your rest and be made whole
Stripes of blood that stain its frame
Shed to wash away our shame
From the scars pure love released
Salvation brought the mercy tree
In the sky, between two thieves
Hung the blameless Prince of Peace
Bruised and battered, scarred and scorned
Sacred Hands pierced by our thorns
It is finished was his cry
The perfect Lamb was crucified
The sacrifice, our victory.
Our Savior chose the mercy tree
Hope went dark that violent day
The whole earth ‘quaked at love’s display
Three days silence in the ground
This body born for Heaven’s crown
On that bright and glorious day
Heaven opened up the grave
He’s alive and risen indeed
Praise him for the mercy tree
Death has died. Love has won!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Jesus Christ has overcome.
He has risen from the dead.
One day soon we’ll see His face
And every tear, He’ll wipe away
No more pain or suffering
Oh, praise him for the mercy tree
Death has died. Love has won!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Jesus Christ has overcome.
He has risen from the dead.
On a hill called Calvary
Stands an endless mercy tree
Video: https://youtu.be/07lDxRvaoI4
Witness: I sit here on the couch listening to Fernando Ortega singing, Lord I Want to Be a Christian”. My eyes are shut as the song soothes my soul. Sleep which eludes me when I lie down in the morn is now reaching out to conquer me and keep me from finishing my journal entry for today. I took a 30-minute power nap between my last sentence and this one. It has helped some, but it did not help me when it comes to sharing anything the Lord had taught or done today. Just now the words to a song by Fernando Ortega have caught my attention. They are the last words to the song, “Hear Me Calling, Great Redeemer”. Weary from lack of sleep and the stresses of life, this song ministered to my spirit and refreshed my soul. It is an appropriate song considering the psalm we are in at the moment. Here are the lyrics to the song, you will see what I mean:
As I walk, Lord, Through the valley,
Hold my hand, Hold my trembling hand.
If I stumble by the wayside,
In Your strength help me stand.
The sparks fly upward while the wind blows
Like a spirit, Lost upon the sea.
I am torn, Lord, And born to trouble.
I am blind and I am weak.
Hear me calling, Great Redeemer,
At the foot of Your dark cross
Where You suffered for the sinner,
Bleeding, Dying, For the lost.
Go before me through the valley,
Speak to me, For I know Your voice.
Lead me homeward, Gentle Shepherd,
God of Love, God of Grace.
Hear me calling, Great Redeemer,
At the foot of Your dark cross
Where You suffered for the sinner,
Bleeding, Dying, For the lost.
Go before me through the valley,
Speak to me, For I know Your voice.
Lead me homeward, Gentle Shepherd,
God of Love, God of Grace.
Hold my hand, Hold my trembling hand.
If I stumble by the wayside,
In Your strength help me stand.
The sparks fly upward while the wind blows
Like a spirit, Lost upon the sea.
I am torn, Lord, And born to trouble.
I am blind and I am weak.
Hear me calling, Great Redeemer,
At the foot of Your dark cross
Where You suffered for the sinner,
Bleeding, Dying, For the lost.
Go before me through the valley,
Speak to me, For I know Your voice.
Lead me homeward, Gentle Shepherd,
God of Love, God of Grace.
Hear me calling, Great Redeemer,
At the foot of Your dark cross
Where You suffered for the sinner,
Bleeding, Dying, For the lost.
Go before me through the valley,
Speak to me, For I know Your voice.
Lead me homeward, Gentle Shepherd,
God of Love, God of Grace.
I praise God for moments like these when my Shepherd reaches out to minister to me when I am in need. I received a double portion or perhaps a triple portion tonight as I write these words. You see as I wrote he sang a song based on Isaiah 40:8:
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever.”
Isa 40:8 NIV
As I read this passage I marveled at what follows. It again seems an appropriate Word to read in light of Psalm 23.
You who bring good tidings to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Isa 40:9-11 NIV
But God was not finished yet, for following my reading these words came this song:
Troubles and trials often betray us
Causing the weary body to stray
But we shall walk beside the still waters
With the Good Shepherd leading the way
Those who have strayed were sought by the master
He who once gave his life for the sheep
Out on the mountain still he is searching
Bringing them in forever to keep
Going up home to live in green pastures
Where we shall live and die nevermore
Even the Lord will be in that number
When we shall reach that heavenly shore
We shall not heed the voice of a stranger
For he will lead us onto despair
Following on with Jesus our Savior
We shall all reach that country so fair
Going up home to live in green pastures
Where we shall live and die nevermore
Even the Lord will be in that number
When we shall reach that heavenly shore
Causing the weary body to stray
But we shall walk beside the still waters
With the Good Shepherd leading the way
Those who have strayed were sought by the master
He who once gave his life for the sheep
Out on the mountain still he is searching
Bringing them in forever to keep
Going up home to live in green pastures
Where we shall live and die nevermore
Even the Lord will be in that number
When we shall reach that heavenly shore
We shall not heed the voice of a stranger
For he will lead us onto despair
Following on with Jesus our Savior
We shall all reach that country so fair
Going up home to live in green pastures
Where we shall live and die nevermore
Even the Lord will be in that number
When we shall reach that heavenly shore
When life is not going the way we want it. When even little things frustrate us, the temptation is to listen to the “stranger” instead of our “Savior” and “Good Shepherd”. To heed that lying voice will only lead to further “despair”. I have learned to listen for my Shepherd’s voice in times of despair and weariness. His is the “voice of truth” as another song says:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
And the voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
And the voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/castingcrowns/voiceoftruth.html
So when the stranger whispers his lies, “You are tired and weary and your Shepherd has left you because he thinks you are so unworthy and faithless. Come follow me and I will give you pleasure and leisure.” I tune him out and listen for my Shepherds voice who calls me and teaches me to declare with all His saints:
Ps 100
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
NIV
I also remind myself of the words highlighted below.
WORD:
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The word translated “love” or “mercy” is the word “hesed”. I remember my O.T. Professor in Seminary saying that this is the word that comes closest to the word grace in the New Testament. I found the article on loving kindness by Vines to be most helpful and comprehensive so I will end today with an excerpt from this reference work (forgive me for the article is quite long but will give you a fuller meaning of the word used in 23:6):
LOVING-KINDNESS
Noun.
Checed OT:2617, “loving-kindness; steadfast love; grace; mercy; faithfulness; goodness; devotion.” This word is used 240 times in the Old Testament, and is especially frequent in the Psalter. The term is one of the most important in the vocabulary of Old Testament theology and ethics.
The Septuagint nearly always renders checed with
eleos
(“mercy”), and that usage is reflected in the New Testament. Modern translations, in contrast, generally prefer renditions close to the word “grace.” KJV usually has “mercy,” although “loving-kindness” (following Coverdale), “favor,” and other translations also occur. RSV generally prefers “steadfast love.” NIV often offers simply “love.”
In general, one may identify three basic meanings of the word, which always interact: “strength,” “steadfastness,” and “love.” Any understanding of the word that fails to suggest all three inevitably loses some of its richness. “Love” by itself easily becomes sentimentalized or universalized apart from the covenant. Yet “strength” or “steadfastness” suggests only the fulfillment of a legal or other obligation.
The word refers primarily to mutual and reciprocal rights and obligations between the parties of a relationship (especially Yahweh and Israel). But checed is not only a matter of obligation; it is also of generosity. It is not only a matter of loyalty, but also of mercy. The weaker party seeks the protection and blessing of the patron and protector, but he may not lay absolute claim to it. The stronger party remains committed to his promise, but retains his freedom, especially with regard to the manner in which he will implement those promises. Checed implies personal involvement and commitment in a relationship beyond the rule of law.
Marital love is often related to checed. Marriage certainly is a legal matter, and there are legal sanctions for infractions. Yet the relationship, if sound, far transcends mere legalities. The prophet Hosea applies the analogy to Yahweh’s checed to Israel within the covenant (e. g., 2:21). Hence, “devotion” is sometimes the single English word best capable of capturing the nuance of the original. The RSV attempts to bring this out by its translation, “steadfast love.” Hebrew writers often underscored the element of steadfastness (or strength) by pairing checed with °emet (“truth, reliability”) and °emunah (“faithfulness”).
Biblical usage frequently speaks of someone “doing,” “showing,” or “keeping” checed. The concrete content of the word is especially evident when it is used in the plural. God’s “mercies,” “kindnesses,” or “faithfulnesses” are His specific, concrete acts of redemption in fulfillment of His promise. An example appears in Isa 55:3: “...and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”
Checed has both God and man as its subject. When man is the subject of checed, the word usually describes the person’s kindness or loyalty to another; cf. 2 Sam 9:7: “And David said... I will surely show thee [Mephibosheth] kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake....” Only rarely is the term applied explicitly to man’s affection or fidelity toward God; the clearest example is probably Jer 2:2: “Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness....”
Man exercises checed toward various units within the community — toward family and relatives, but also to friends, guests, masters, and servants. Checed toward the lowly and needy is often specified. The Bible prominently uses the term checed to summarize and characterize a life of sanctification within, and in response to, the covenant. Thus, Hos 6:6 states that God desires “mercy [RSV, “steadfast love”] and not sacrifice” (i. e., faithful living in addition to worship). Similarly, Mic 6:8 features checed in the prophets’ summary of biblical ethics: “...and what doth the Lord require of thee, but... to love mercy.. “
Behind all these uses with man as subject, however, stand the repeated references to God’s checed. It is one of His most central characteristics. God’s loving-kindness is offered to His people, who need redemption from sin, enemies, and troubles. A recurrent refrain describing God’s nature is “abounding plenteous in checed” Ex 34:6; Neh 9:17; Ps 103:8; Jonah 4:2. The entire history of Yahweh’s covenantal relationship with Israel can be summarized in terms of checed. It is the one permanent element in the flux of covenantal history. Even the Creation is the result of God’s checed Ps 136:5-9. His love lasts for a “thousand generations” Deut 7:9; cf. Deut 5:10 and Ex 20:6, indeed “forever” (especially in the refrains of certain psalms, such as Ps 136).
Words used in synonymous parallelism with checed help to define and explain it. The word most commonly associated with checed is °emet (“fidelity; reliability”): “...let thy loving-kind- ness [checed] and thy truth [°emet] continually preserve me.” °Emunah with a similar meaning is also common: “He hath remembered his mercy [checed] and his truth [°emunah] toward the house of Israel....” This emphasis is especially appropriate when God is the subject, because His checed is stronger and more enduring than man’s. Etymological investigation suggests that checed’s primitive significance may have been “strength” or “permanence.” If so, a puzzling use of checed in Isa 40:6 would be explained: “All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.”
The association of checed with “covenant” keeps it from being misunderstood as mere providence or love for all creatures; it applies primarily to God’s particular love for His chosen and covenanted people. “Covenant” also stresses the reciprocity of the relationship; but since God’s checed is ultimately beyond the covenant, it will not ultimately be abandoned, even when the human partner is unfaithful and must be disciplined Isa 54:8,10. Since its final triumph and implementation is eschatological, checed can imply the goal and end of all salvation-history Ps 85:7,10; 130:7; Mic 7:20.
The proper noun Hacdiah 1 Chron 3:20 is related to checed The name of Zerubbabel’s son means “Yahweh is faithful gracious,” a fitting summary of the prophet’s message.
(from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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