We Have Thought of Your Lovingkindness

Flowers-on-Yorktown-Parkway 2012

^“We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.”
(Psalm 48:9)

Lovingkindness is the Hebrew word “ḥesed”, which is usually translated mercy. In the New Testament, it is mercy or grace. David said when they went to the temple, they thought of God’s grace.

Grace is one of the most important aspects of Christian life.

^“8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9) Our salvation comes through the grace of God. It’s a gift. Everything Jesus did for us on the cross comes to us as a gift—grace.

Many churches don’t give much thought about God’s grace. They teach that once you are saved then you have to work out your salvation through your good works or the law. So they spend their time thinking on behavior or performance.

If we receive salvation by grace, don’t you think everything else should be received by grace? This is the principle of the New Covenant. Nothing is by works, lest we boast in our good deeds. We have nothing to boast in but in the Lord. This is true every day of our lives. “For in him we live, and move, and have our being…” (Acts 17:28) “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

We should fill our thoughts with the grace of God. Our songs should extol His grace for us. Our sermons should ring with grace as their theme. We should sound forth the message of God’s grace. Jesus paid it all. We have all the benefits of the children of our Father. We should see God’s will here on earth as it is in heaven. We should see ourselves forgiven and redeemed by the Blood of Jesus. Our sins are removed and tossed into the sea of forgetfulness. God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing through Jesus.

We have thought of your lovingkindness and grace in our assembly.