Tuesday 13 January 2015

SOMETHING BETTER THAN LIFE

Psalm 63: 3
 INTRODUCTION
Life is a precious gift from God. It is gift given to us by its owner, God. One is obliged to praise God for such a precious gift. Being alive make the difference between those who had gone down to the grave and those allow to see the beautiful creation of God. The wisest man ever lived confessed in Eccl 9:4-5 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also, in Eccl 11:7-9 he warned, Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. I am extremely grateful to God for this gift called life. God has been extremely gracious and kind, His tender mercies are over all his creation and I am inclusive. What actually is better than life? And what is better than that which is better than life?

THE MEANING OF HESED (TRANSLATED IN KJV AS LOVINGKINDNESS IN PSALM 63)

What is ds,x hesed/Chesed? Hesed is an Hebrew word,, noun, masculine singular. There is no neuter in Hebrew noun, all Hebrew nouns are either male or female in gender, hesed is male in gender. Our English Bible in most versions use only one word for that translation which to me does not captured well the meaning of that word and to prove my curiosity and my thinking, I turned to various Hebrew Dictionary to find out what hesed really means.  The word hesed in Hebrew appeared in Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) at least 247 times. The KJC dictionary lexicographers counted 247 occurrences while Strong Dictionary identified 248 occurrences. I did not count the number of times the word was used myself. There is agreement among the theologians that the same word could mean goodness, kindness, faithfulness. Hesed could also mean a reproach, shame. But, going through the content analysis it is evident that the former meaning is prevalent in the Scripture than the latter, only in Lev.  20: 17 was hesed translated it is a wicked thing and in Proverbs 14: 34 it was translated reproach. In all other over 245 occurrences  we see hesed as mercy (in fact the equivalent word supplied by the Septuagint in Greek Eleos supports this meaning), it also mean kindness, kindly, in goodness, favour, pity, loving kindness, good. AHLB dictionary added favour to the meaning earlier provided by others. A deeper study of the word hesed revealed that it has to do with kindness which is expressed as bowing of the neck, a sign of respect and kindness. Indeed God’s mercy, favour, kindness, pity, goodness is far better than life.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE WORD HESED TO THOSE OF US ALIVE
First, It is God’s mercy that has kept us and make us to enjoy the life He has given to us. That life is good is incontrovertible however, that God’s favour, pity, goodness, etc has been extended to us is better than all we have enjoyed or are enjoying. Quite a number would desire not to be alive, some due to pains and agony they are going through or they have to go through. Chemotheraphy as I have found out is not a preferred option even among the Medical Doctors. I had witnessed at least two people close to death before they died and I knew for them, death perhaps was preferred in such a state. See, how God’s hesed has made a difference in your life. The quality of life that we life is not determined by our strength or our skills but primarily by God’s hesed.

Secondly, it is God’s mercy that caused us to be saved. To be alive is good but to be saved is far better. I must add here that no one should be written off but I have lived here on earth for some time now and have seen a lot go down without Christ. Of all the earthly blessings the Lord had brought my way, none can be compared to my salvation. It assures me of my Father’s presence with me at all times and when all is said and done, I am convinced that He is more willing to see my face as much as I desire to see His face. We all desire to see the face of the one we love particularly if something had brought us together earlier. As pen friends in those days long to see their friends they were exchanging correspondence with, so I long to see God and He longed to see me too. Can you see how hesed is better than life. … to live is Christ, and to die is gain as stated by Paul in Phil. 1:21.
Third, God’s hesed is immeasurable, unfathomable and inexhaustible. Lam. 3: 22; As we are enjoying God’s mercies here sure, it will continue and can never come to an end. It is not a poor mercy, it is highly qualitative and quantitative. God is rich in mercy. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life because God’s hesed is inexhaustible.

CONCLUSION
God’s hesed has kept you and I, and it is the main reason for differences. Hesed is better than life according to Psalm 63: 3 and according to Fanny Crosby’s estimation which is in line with my thought something is better than that which is better than life. According to Crosby “Saviour is more than life to me”. Oh what a Saviour!


Sunday 4 January 2015