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NISAN 28

Follow Me

 

“Only goodness and kindness follow me …” (Ps 23:6)

 

‘Goodness’ has been defined by Noah Webster as “the physical qualities which constitute value, excellence or perfection; Kindness; benevolence.”^[1]  Goodness is also listed as one of the nine fruit of the Ruach, the Set-Apart Spirit, fruit that we are to cultivate and display in our lives, and in our relationship with others (see Gal 5:22-23).  We know and understand that when we walk in and with this character trait, we are pleasing to our Elohim (Rom 12:2), for He Himself is “good” (Mat 19:17).

The Hebrew word that has been translated in this verse as ‘kindness’ is the word chêsêd (Strong’s H2617) and implies much more than just ‘kindness’.  Found within this word is the sense of commitment to the individual you are showing kindness to, such as a mother to her baby, or even the relationship that our Elohim has with us, those of us who walk in right relationship with Him.  The KJV translates chêsêd, for the most part, as either “loving-kindness” (Ps 17:7; 25:6) or “mercy” (Deu 5:10; Ps 100:5; Lam 3:22), and both are correct.

What caught my eye in our opening passage is the word that has been translated as ‘follow’.  The Hebrew word is râdaph (Strong’s H7291), and means to chase after, pursue with the intent of overtaking.  With this thought in mind, let us look again at this portion of Scripture.  Goodness (kindness and benevolence) and kindness (mercy and loving-kindness) are chasing after me, with the intent of overtaking and capturing me in their pursuit.  I cannot answer for the rest of you, but I believe for this type of scenario, I would willingly stand still, that I might be overtaken …

 

“Then Adonai passed before him, and proclaimed, “Adonai, Adonai, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and ABUNDANT IN LOVINGKINDNESS and truth, SHOWING MERCY to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means leaving the guilty unpunished, but bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”” (Ex 34:6-7 TLV, emphasis mine)

 

©2022

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[1] American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828