As humans, we are drawn to greatness. We consider people like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. to be great leaders. We look at athletes like Lebron James, Aaron Judge, Serena Williams, Tom Brady, and Patrick Mahomes to be some of the greatest players in their respective sports. We even talk to others about what these people have done and we marvel at their accomplishments. But as great as we might consider those individuals or any other individual to be, we know they don’t compare to the greatness of the Great Designer of this universe, our Heavenly Father!
One of the ways we can continue to excel in our love for our God is by consistently considering God’s greatness and His love’s greatness. In 2 Chronicles 6 after Solomon finishes building the temple, he kneels on a platform amid the court, and in the presence of all the assembly of Israel he spreads out his hands toward heaven and prays to God;
“O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart”… 2 Chronicles 6:14
Then in vs. 18, he prays,
“But will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built.”
Solomon knew there was only one God, and He knew that he kept His covenant and showed lovingkindness to His servants who chose to walk before Him with all their hearts. God is faithful. He has always kept His word to His people and always will. Solomon also knew that His God was so much greater than man and that not even the great temple he had just made for Him could contain Him. Not even the heaven of heavens can contain the only true and living God. God’s power and glory are unlimited and beyond human limitation or comprehension.
Not only did Solomon point out God’s faithfulness and eternal glory and power, but he also reminded us that God shows lovingkindness to His children. Lovingkindness is a very important word that’s used in scripture to describe not just God’s feelings, but His actions toward His faithful servants.
Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary states that the Hebrew word for ‘lovingkindness’ is ‘hesed’ which is sometimes translated as steadfast love, grace, mercy, faithfulness, goodness, and devotion. It is a word that has to do with fulfilling a legal obligation between two parties, but it is also more than just fulfilling an obligation; it is also of generosity. It is not only a matter of loyalty but also of mercy. The weaker party seeks the protection and blessing of the patron and protector, but he may not lay absolute claim to it…’ “Hesed” implies personal involvement and commitment in a relationship beyond the rule of law.
For God to show us lovingkindness means He’s loyal, He’s devoted, He’s trustworthy, He’s generous, He’s merciful, He’s kind, and He’s good to us. God didn’t just make man and then leave us to ourselves. From the very moment He created man, He desired a close relationship with Him. He wanted that relationship with Adam and Eve in the garden, He wanted it with the nation of Israel, and He certainly wants that with us today. His lovingkindness led Him to give His only Son to suffer and die on the cross for our sins so that if we chose to believe and obey His Son, we too could have a close relationship with Him.
The Christian life is not about just doing the right things and not doing the wrong things, it’s about doing what pleases our God because we trust Him and we know He loves us. If we will daily take time to carefully consider God’s great glory, power, and lovingkindness, we will continue to excel in our love for Him!
To God Be the Glory!
Excel Still More
Billy Clabaugh
Billy, his wife Shayla, and their son Caleb live in Sayre, Oklahoma where he has been blessed to preach since 2012. He has a bachelor’s degree in Math Education from Oklahoma Christian University and a master’s degree in Sports Administration from Eastern New Mexico University. He enjoys reading, watching the Oklahoma Sooners, spending time with his family, and serving in the Kingdom of God. Billy also serves on the board of directors for Excel Still More and is a regular speaker and writer for the workshop and other publications.
