God’s love and mercy are deep, tender, and never failing!

May 20 & 23 2016

Worship: My One Thing by Rich Mullins

Everybody I know says they need just one thing
And what they really mean is that they need just one thing more
And everybody seems to think they've got it coming
Well I know that I don't deserve You
Still, I want to love and serve You more and more
You're my one thing

Save me from those things that might distract me
Please take them away and purify my heart
I don't want to lose the eternal for the things that are passing
'Cause what will I have when the world is gone
If it isn't for the love that goes on and on with

My one thing
You're my one thing
And the pure in heart shall see God

You're my one thing
You're my one thing
And the pure in heart shall see God

Who have I in Heaven but You Jesus?
And what better could I hope to find down here on earth?
I could cross the most distant reaches
Of this world, but I'd just be wasting my time
'Cause I'm certain already, I'm sure I'd find

You're my one thing
(One thing)
You're my one thing
(One thing)
And the pure in heart shall see God

You're my one thing
(One thing)
You're my one thing
(One thing)
And the pure in heart shall see God

Every night and every day
You hold on tight or you drift away

And you're left to live
With the choices you make
Oh Lord please give me the strength
To watch and work and love and sing and pray

'Cause who have I in Heaven but You Jesus?
And what better could I hope to find down here on earth?
Well I could cross the most distant reaches
Of this world, but I'd just be wasting my time
'Cause I'm certain already I'm sure I'd find

You're my one thing
(One thing)
You're my one thing
(One thing)
And the pure in heart shall see God

You're my one thing
(One thing)
You're my one thing
(One thing)
And the pure in heart shall see God
You're my one thing

One thing
You're my one thing
Pure in heart
Pure in heart
One thing

One thing
(And I know that it is pure)
One thing
(Pure in heart)
And the pure in heart shall see God 


(And I know the pure in heart shall see God)
Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/rich-mullins/my-one-thing-

lyrics/#4ZKTXZ7ZQpZwt8LP.99

Video: https://youtu.be/bM-84FX_-c8

Witness:

Watching today, I saw a paradox that illustrated the selfish attitudes that infect many of us. A plane went down in the Mediterranean Sea yesterday. It has not been determined yet if it was terrorism or not. For the sake of argument, let us say that it was. It doesn’t matter (for the purpose of this illustration) if it really was or not for we live in a world where such things are a distinct possibility. This story segued into a story about long lines and waiting at the airport. Now if terrorism is a real threat then what is standing a mere 3 hours in line to ensure your personal safety. We think nothing of camping out and waiting a day to get tickets to a concert we really want to go to or to purchase the latest electronic gadget or game. Yet we fuss over a few hours to protect us. One manifestation of our sin nature is the “have your cake and eat it too” syndrome. We want protection but complain at the sacrifice we have to make to attain it. It would be nice to hire more TSA agents to assist in this, but that is costly and may gain speed in processing the line and yet sacrifice proficiency in the doing. Many times the more help you have, the less you have in efficiency. 

The song I worshiped with tells us what is truly important. Not the immediate gratification of our baser desires but finding our true satisfaction in our Lord and Savior. Three hours in line to get somewhere may seem like a long, unpleasant wait, but time with God -Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is always immediate and one day His invisible presence will give way to sight. What do we do in the meantime? Wait!

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14 NIV

WORD

Ps 25:6-7 6 Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord. NIV	Ps 25:6-7 6 Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord. KJV
Ps 25:6-7 6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. 7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord. Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.	Ps 25:6-7 6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,  for they have been from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! ESV

If the first word speaks of God’s great, compassionate, tenderhearted, loving mercy the second speaks of His constant, unfailing, faithful mercy and love towards His chosen ones. The word here is hesed which the TWOT defines as:

ds#j#  ‎‎(‎µesed‎)  kindness, lovingkindness, mercy and similar words (KJV). (RSV usually has steadfast love occasionally loyalty, NASB loving kindness, kindness, love, NIV unfailing love.)

(from Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Copyright © 1980 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. All rights reserved.

Used by permission.)

 

 

BDB says: checed — goodness, kindness, faithfulness

(from The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright © 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.)

 

I have discussed this word in the past (see Nov. 16, 2015) so I won’t go over that ground again. I want to point out one thing here and close because of the hour (it’s 2:53 AM). Both these words can speak of God’s love and mercy but have different nuances to them. If the first word-“racham” word speaks with intensity, the word “hesed” speaks with infallibility. The first word may bring the promise of compassionate love and mercy, but the second promises that it will also be a consistent love and mercy. One may appreciate it when they are shown mercy by someone, but cannot be sure they will always receive mercy from that person. Yet God’s chosen ones can always be certain (though often we falter in our trust) that God’s love and mercy are deep, tender, and never failing!

Because of the Lord's great love (hesed) we are not consumed,

for his compassions (racham) never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Lam 3:22-23

NIV