Loving Kindness

I was talking with my friend and we were discussing Loving Kindness. She actually called to say how much she enjoyed yesterday's post.  And one of her comments just confirmed to me that I was to write a post for today about Loving Kindness!  

Today is her birthday, and I pray that God's 
loving kindness is showered on her all 
day long in tangible, and measurable ways! :-)

Did you know that Loving-kindness is mentioned directly and indirectly by use of the same Hebrew Word 248 times in the Bible? Twenty-seven of those times are found in the Book of Psalms!

David was well acquainted with God's Loving Kindness and loved to extoll the fact that God is Loving and Kind. After all, he had experienced God's loving kindness and mercy in many different situations. 

If you look at the word in Strong's Concordance you will find that it is also used as "Mercy" in other verses like Lamentations 3:22-23  
"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

King Solomon makes an unusual comparison between the righteous man and the unrighteous one's concept of "tender mercy" (ie: compassion) in Proverbs 12:10  A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. This comparison shows that without God, there can be no such thing as loving kindness or tender mercies!

Loving Kindness is from God. He embodies Love in every fashion and expression. It is an intrinsic part of His nature.  Yet, it was impressed upon the hearts of the writers to repeat this over and over, either by way of giving Praise and Honor to God, or by way of reminding us their fellow human beings that God IS good and His thoughts towards us are honorable, loving and kind! (Jeremiah 29:11)  

His Loving Kindness endures for ever!  
Believe it!  Receive it!

Psalm 106:1  Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalm 136:4  To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.   

Mercy is the same word that is used for Loving Kindness elsewhere. It is also translated as: 
goodness, kindness, faithfulness,deeds of devotion(2), devotion(1), devout(1), faithfulness(1), favor(2), good(1), kindly(7), kindness(32), kindnesses(1), loveliness(1), lovingkindness(176), lovingkindnesses(7), loyal deeds(1), loyalty(6),mercies(1), merciful(2), mercy(1), righteousness(1), unchanging love(2). 

Hosea 2:16  And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; [your Husband and Champion] and shalt call me no more Baali. [Master.] {Strong's definition}
Hosea 2:17  For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
Hosea 2:18  And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
Hosea 2:19  And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
Hosea 2:20  I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know {Yada-intimate knowledge by relationship} the LORD. {Strongs 3045}

Do you see by this verse, and all the many references that God has put into the Bible, that He is looking for a Love relationship, built on trust and fidelity? 

He wants to assure us of His intentions!  Loving Kindness, Mercy, Favour, Faithfulness, Unchanging Love...this is a Lover, wooing His Love.  This is One who is Love-sick and so in love with His intended!  This is our Lovely Jesus, drawing us with cords of Kindness and everlasting love and mercy, reaching to where we were and some still are, in degradation, sin, filth, squalor, self righteous rags covering the festering wounds brought about by the sinful world we live in!

With tender loving gentle hands and eyes of compassion, He speaks "Peace" and "Healing."  He wipes away the the stench, and lifts us from the dunghill, he cleanses us with His own Blood and the Water of His Word, and puts on us clothing that befits Royalty;  Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses.

He gazes tenderly at us, and speaking adoringly to us," You are My Beloved. My Eternal Prize Possession and Desire!  I Love you more than you can ever imagine. I Cherish you beyond your comprehension. I have not come to condemn and reproach you, but to release you from the heavy chains and shackles that have weighed you down for so long.  I have come to bring lightness to your step, songs of joy to your heart, new life to be lived in a new way, in the Kingdom that I have Prepared and have longed to share with you! 

Will you Trust Me?  Will you let Me into those hurt places, those dark places, those places that you shield so fiercely, to avoid being discovered and exposed?  I know they are there.  Try as you might, you cannot hide those broken areas from My gaze.  But will you allow Me to undress you and be exposed to the healing rays of My Love?  For unless you will allow Me, I shall be forever relegated outside the door, to continue knocking and asking for entrance into those private, shameful, distressful areas that you are so afraid of anyone ever seeing.
  
But I do not look with the same kind of eyes that men look with.  I look with Eternal Eyes, that see through the portals of time to where you will be, when you come to Me and let Me set you free.  I see the beauty hidden deep within, beneath all the layers of pain and sin. Living in this world brings sting and stain, but I have come to give you Life again!  I know your faults and failings better than you, and I have pledged to see you through... to completion in Me. Complete and Restored and Celebrated in Me! Fully Free! Living Life Abundantly! 
For there is an abundance of My Grace for thee.

So, now come! Take My hand. 
Do not be shy- look me in the eye. 
Listen not to the enemy's lies.  
Let all those things melt away, 
underneath the gaze of My Loving Eyes.

What will you answer?  What will you say? 

Will you close the door and run away? 

Or will you be brave and let Me in, 

to pierce the darkness and route the sin?

Love is calling, and kindness too.  

My tender mercies are waiting for you..."

Your Lovingkindness
Psa 86:5; 63:3; 130:6
Lord You are good to me,
Ready to forgive
Abundant in mercy,
To those who call upon You.
(Chorus)
Lord Your lovingkindness is better than life, (2x)
(Bridge)
As the watchman waits for the morning,
My soul waits for You. (2x)

Another Version about God's Loving Kindness:

Thy Loving Kindness

          C                       G7
 Thy loving kindness is better than life
                                   C
 Thy loving kindness is better than life
                          C7            F
 My lips shall praise Thee, Thus will I bless Thee
         C         G7             C
 I will lift up my hands unto Thy Name

           C                 G7
 I lift my hands up unto Thy Name
                             C
 I lift my hands up unto Thy Name
                          C7            F
 My lips shall praise Thee, Thus will I bless Thee
         C         G7             C
 I will lift up my hands unto Thy Name

© 1962 Singspiriation Music
Words and Music by Hugh Mitchell

References: for loving kindness:
 
References: for loving kindness: 

http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/2617.html

AV - mercy 149, kindness 40, lovingkindness 30, goodness 12, kindly 5,

merciful 4, favour 3, good 1, goodliness 1, pity 1, reproach 1,  wicked thing 1; 248

favour  Esther 2:17. Job 10:12. Daniel 1:9.

good   Nehemiah 13:14.

goodliness  Isaiah 40:6.

goodness   Exodus 34:6. 2 Chronicles 32:32; 35:26. Psalms 33:5; 52:1; 107:8, 15, 21, 31; 144:2. Proverbs 20:6. Hosea 6:4.

kindly  Genesis 24:49; 47:29. Joshua 2:14. Ruth 1:8. 1 Samuel 20:8.

kindness  Genesis 20:13; 21:23; 24:12, 14; 40:14. Joshua 2:12, 12. Judges 8:35. Ruth 2:20; 3:10. 1 Samuel 15:6; 20:14, 15. 2 Samuel 2:5, 6; 3:8; 9:1, 3, 7; 10:2, 2; 16:17. 1 Kings 2:7; 3:6. 1 Chronicles 19:2, 2. 2 Chronicles 24:22. Nehemiah 9:17. Esther 2:9. Psalms 31:21; 117:2; 119:76; 141:5. Proverbs 19:22; 31:26. Isaiah 54:8, 10. Jeremiah 2:2. Joel 2:13. Jonah 4:2.

lovingkindness   Psalms 17:7; 26:3; 36:7, 10; 40:10, 11; 42:8; 48:9; 51:1; 63:3; 69:16; 88:11; 89:33; 92:2; 103:4; 107:43; 119:88, 149, 159; 138:2; 143:8. Jeremiah 9:24; 16:5; 31:3; 32:18. Hosea 2:19.

lovingkindnesses  Psalms 25:6; 89:49. Isaiah 63:7, 7.

mercies   Genesis 32:10. 2 Chronicles 6:42. Psalms 89:1; 106:7, 45; 119:41. Isaiah 55:3. Lamentations 3:22, 32.

mercies'   Psalms 6:4; 31:16; 44:26.

merciful   1 Kings 20:31. Psalms 117:2. Proverbs 11:17. Isaiah 57:1.

mercy  Genesis 19:19; 24:27; 39:21. Exodus 15:13; 20:6; 34:7. Numbers 14:18, 19. Deuteronomy 5:10; 7:9, 12. Judges 1:24. 2 Samuel 7:15; 15:20; 22:51. 1 Kings 3:6; 8:23. 1 Chronicles 16:34, 41; 17:13. 2 Chronicles 1:8; 5:13; 6:14; 7:3, 6; 20:21. Ezra 3:11; 7:28; 9:9. Nehemiah 1:5; 9:32; 13:22. Job 37:13. Psalms 5:7; 13:5; 18:50; 21:7; 23:6; 25:7, 10; 31:7; 32:10; 33:18, 22; 36:5; 52:8; 57:3, 10; 59:10, 16, 17; 61:7; 62:12; 66:20; 69:13; 77:8; 85:7, 10; 86:5, 13, 15; 89:2, 14, 24, 28; 90:14; 94:18; 98:3; 100:5; 101:1; 103:8, 11, 17; 106:1; 107:1; 108:4; 109:12, 16, 21, 26; 115:1; 118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29; 119:64, 124; 130:7; 136:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26; 138:8; 143:12; 145:8; 147:11. Proverbs 3:3; 14:22; 16:6; 20:28, 28; 21:21. Isaiah 16:5. Jeremiah 33:11. Daniel 9:4. Hosea 4:1; 6:6; 10:12; 12:6. Jonah 2:8. Micah 6:8; 7:18, 20. 

Zechariah 7:9.

pity  Job 6:14.

reproach  Proverbs 14:34.

thing Leviticus 20:17.

—Exhaustive Concordance (KJV Translation Frequency & Location)

Bible Dictionary Strong's Concordance H2616