Knowing God

Self-discovery seems to be a buzzword these days and personality typing systems (Myers-Briggs, the Enneagram, DISC personality assessment, StrengthsFinder, and many more) have become extremely popular in the quest to better know ourselves. While personality tests can be helpful in understanding ourselves and others better, the foundation of the knowledge of self and others begins with a knowledge of God.

There are many facets of God’s character, but one that I want to focus on specifically: his lovingkindness. The Hebrew word hesed is used throughout the Old and New Testaments repeatedly and translates into English as “lovingkindness.” Hesed speaks to loyalty and commitment, a faithfulness, steadfastness, and unfailing nature toward the one who is loved. At the crux, hesed has nothing to do with us. We are not the initiator or the guarantor. God’s love toward us is not contingent on anything we do. It’s his very nature. In Psalm 40:11, King David speaks to this wondrous love of God: “You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me” (NASB).

Our belovedness—how much we are loved by a holy God—is something we grasp very little of. The magnitude of hesed love is something we don’t experience in our earthly relationships, even in the most beautiful and loving ones, so we have nothing to compare it to. As beloved children of God, even at our most unlovable, we are relentlessly pursued by God. Yes, we are stained by sin and ravaged by the world we live in, but if we really knew, we would be shocked at what an impoverished view we have of ourselves in light of the lovingkindness of God toward us.

Knowledge of God’s lovingkindness is foundational to our relationship with him and subsequently in knowing ourselves and others. Reflect on these questions and consider God’s lovingkindness as you go about your day.

• What are some attributes of God that cause you to marvel?
• What parts of his character bring peace and assurance?
• In what ways have you experienced the lovingkindness of God in your life?