What is God Like?

God is Loving

Pastor Rachel Koch

Exodus 34:4-7
4 So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Volatile:
- characterized by or subject to rapid or unexpected change
- marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments

KHESED defined:
The Bible Project, “a loyal commitment to be generous to someone for the long run.”
Jim Wilder, in The Other Half of Church “a strong and loyal attachment that can build with God and others.”
Michael Hendricks, describes it as “enduring, joyful, loving connection; covenantal love.”

Translations:
Steadfast love
Goodness
Kindness
Loving-kindness
Faithfulness
Abounding in love
Mercy

KHESED: Loyal Love

1: God’s KHESED is not earned

Genesis 32:
I am unworthy of all the khesed and of all the faithfulness which you have shown to your servant. Genesis 32:1

“loving God” vs living a life “being loved by God.”

Psalm 139:17-18 (NIV)
“How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.”

God’s KHESED is a STURDY COMMITMENT.

“Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O Lord, you told me, ‘Return to your own land and to your relatives.’ And you promised me, ‘I will treat you kindly.’”
Genesis 32:9 NLT

Jim Wilder: When we live in a family of joyful hesed relationships, we put our brains into the ideal zone for developing us into the image of Christ… Our prefrontal cortex is energized to build a stable identity.”

Jim Wilder: “Hesed is different because it requires restructuring how we think of church and the way we relate to each other. We must practice being a family; it doesn’t happen automatically.”

God’s KHESED has a cost.

“This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” “Please tell me your name,” Jacob said. “Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.””
- Genesis 32:24-30 NLT