July 27, 2026 – Daily Devotional
It is impossible to fully describe God. One can search and seek and never completely know the greatness of the Eternal God. However, one constant description is that God is love. This characteristic of God is revealed in the Hebrew word “hesed.” This word means loving-kindness and is often used to describe God and God’s actions towards us. The prophet Isaiah records these words of God:
Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)
Perhaps one reason we find agreement with the loving descriptions of God is the number of times the word “hesed” appears in the scriptures. This descriptive term for God appears over 250 times in the Old Testament alone. This word is translated differently across various versions of the Bible. It often appears in English as “faithful,” “merciful,” “unfailing love,” “steadfast love,” and many other translations.
There is a true depth to this beautiful word. This is not just a simple kindness one might share in passing. This lovingkindness reflects the true strength of God’s love for us, His children. The ongoing story, found in the scriptures, is that God constantly loves us, because that is who God is, not because of what we have done. Our story of faith reflects the blessing that God continues to love us and care for us, despite what we have done. When we fail to love our neighbor, God loves us. When we neglect to show mercy to others, God shows mercy to us. When we focus only on ourselves, God’s unfailing love remains directed towards us.
The Apostle Paul continues the idea of “hesed” in his letters that, in part, make up the New Testament. In the letter known as Titus, written to the leader of the church on Crete, this description of God’s love is found: “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy…” (Titus 3:3-5)
God’s gracious love reaches into our lives and offers us the fullness of life. Not because of what we have done, but because God first loved us and continues to express lovingkindness to us. This is the foundation of our faith. God is love! Despite all that goes on in our world, God’s love remains steadfast. When we face challenges of all kinds, God’s love is ever-present. When we make mistakes, God is merciful.
Let us be reminded that we start this week on the firm foundation of God’s gracious love. We may wonder what the next few days have in store, but we do not have to concern ourselves with God’s loving presence. God is with us. God loves us.
-Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
