There is a characteristic of our Father that is a part of our DNA as His sons and daughters that we are seeing less evident in the Church today. God’s heart for people.
Now, you may be thinking, “Bro. Barry, hold up. What do you mean the Church is showing less of God’s heart today? What about all of the programs that provide food and clothing for the homeless and the needy? And, what about all of the outreach programs we have in our communities? Surely you can see how the Church is demonstrating God’s heart.”
I understand what you are saying, and I don’t disagree with you that many of these programs are good and in many cases, necessary. But a program cannot showcase God’s heart for people. For some in the Church, participating in a program is like showing up for a Sunday morning service. It’s just something they do.
“Okay, Bro. Barry, help me see what you see. Help me understand how the Church can show more of God’s heart for people.”
God’s heart is seen in His mercy.
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for mercy is hesed. It’s a word that indicates kindness, lovingkindness, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, love, or acts of kindness.
Hesed is used 26 times in Psalm 136 to proclaim that God’s kindness and love are eternal. The psalmist makes it clear that God’s kindness and faithfulness is the foundation for His character and His actions.
As I thought about this, I was reminded of how Michael Card, one of my favorite authors, painted a picture of the One Who is hesed. He said, “When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.” I love this.
Hesed is the word that God uses to define Himself again and again.
Psalm 136:1 – O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy (the One from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.) endureth for ever.
Psalm 136:7 – To Him that made great lights: for His mercy (the One from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.) endureth for ever:
Psalm 136:8 – The sun to rule by day: for His mercy (the One from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.) endureth for ever:
Psalm 136:9 – The moon and stars to rule by night: for His mercy (the One from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.) endureth for ever.
Psalm 136:23 – Who remembered us in our low estate: for His mercy (the One from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.) endureth for ever:
Psalm 136:24 – And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for His mercy (the One from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.) endureth for ever.
Psalm 136:25 – Who giveth food to all flesh: for His mercy (the One from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.) endureth for ever.
Psalm 136:26 – O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for His mercy (the One from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.) endureth for ever.
The mercy, the hesed, that our Father gives is the beating of His heart for us and because He is our Father, that same hesed is the beating of our hearts when we are yielded to Him.
What does hesed look like in the New Testament?
We see an example of the concept of hesed (When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.) in Luke 6. Jesus is about to make an impossible demand to His disciples.
Luke 6:27 – But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you.
Can you see the looks on the disciples’ faces as they glance at one another in disbelief? I can hear Peter saying under his breath, “Is He serious? Fishing is hard and now He wants us to love men who would take everything we have if given a chance. Nope, not happening.”
The word “enemies” refers to a person who displays hostility, hatred or opposition towards someone. Who was the enemy that Jesus was talking about? The disciples’ enemies would be those who would be hostile to the teachings of Jesus. In other words, Jesus’ enemies would be their enemies. Ladies and gentlemen, Jesus’ enemies are our enemies. But look at Jesus’ command to His disciples, and to us, in verse 35.
Luke 6:35 – But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: (Why does Jesus tell the disciples, and us, to do this?) for He (God, His Father and ours) is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. (Does this sound familiar? When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.)
Luke 6:36 – Be ye therefore merciful (hesed), as your Father also is merciful (hesed).
When Jesus makes the impossible demand on His disciples to love their enemies, He reminded them that God loves His enemies – for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Jesus tells the disciples, and us, that when people are hostile towards you, even though they have no right to expect anything from you, you give to them because your Father is good to those who are against Him.”
This is our Father! And this is who we are to imitate.
Ephesians 5:1 – Be ye therefore followers (imitators) of God, as dear children; (How are we to imitate our Father?)
Ephesians 5:2 – And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
The Good Samaritan
Now, let’s look at an example of the concept of hesed in Luke 10:25-37, in what is known as the “Parable of the Good Samaritan.” We know the story.
Luke 10:25 – And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luke 10:26 – He (Jesus) said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
Luke 10:27 – And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Luke 10:28 – And He (Jesus) said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Luke 10:29 – But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
There was little agreement among the Jews as to who was their “neighbour” but one thing was not in question: “neighbor” definitely did not include the Gentiles and especially the Samaritans. Because of this, the lawyer doesn’t want to answer the question. So he throws the hot potato to Jesus. “Jesus, you’re a Jew. So, you tell me, who is my neighbor?
Luke 10:30 – And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho (Jesus identifies the man as a Jew. He is about to make the lawyer his own judge.), and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Luke 10:31 – And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: (Now notice what the priest does when he sees a fellow Jew.) and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Luke 10:32 – And likewise a Levite, (Now notice what the Levite does when he sees a fellow Jew.) when he was at the place, came and looked on him, (He came closer to the man than the priest to see his condition.) and passed by on the other side.
Luke 10:33 – But a certain Samaritan (A person the Jews hated, a person that we see exemplified hesed – “When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything.”), as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
Luke 10:34 – And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
Luke 10:35 – And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Although the wounded Jewish man had no right to expect anything from a Samaritan, a man he despised, he receives over the top mercy: first aid, a donkey ride to the hotel, room and board, and the Samaritan’s promise that he will be back and pay any balance for the man’s lodging.
This Samaritan, the person that the Jews hated, is the one we see exemplifying hesed – When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing has given me everything
Luke 10:36 – Which now of these three (the priest, the Levi, or the Samaritan), thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him (the Jew) that fell among the thieves?
Luke 10:37 – And he (the lawyer) said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
When Jesus forces the legal expert, who calls for the story in the first place, to decide who is the neighbor is after all, he is forced to mumble “The one who showed mercy.”
Where am I going with these examples of hesed?
On February 16, 2025, a prophetic word was delivered at the Family Prayer Center in Immokalee, Florida titled “I’m Equipping You for the Harvest Ahead.” The first sentence arrested my attention.
“I’m asking you and those watching to go to a place [where] your heart is wrenched out in compassion for the lost.”
For me, the Lord chose a phase that I sighed heavily the first time I read it – wrenched out in compassion. Intuitively, I knew He was saying that we have the same assignment that Jesus had when He walked on the earth.
Luke 19:10 – For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Our Father is asking us to be the sons that Jesus was and make seeking and saving the lost our highest priority. But it still hit me hard.
Wrenched is a violent word. It’s a violent twisting of something. I believe the Lord is saying to His Church, “Grab your hearts and twist out all the apathy and disinterest for the lost with all the force you can muster so that My love and compassion can flow through you.”
I want to read a little more from that prophetic word.
“Just as I’m turning many things on a daily basis in your nation, know this, that I’m equipping the nation for a seedbed for a third great awakening and a Harvest. And those pastors and those leaders and apostles and prophets and teachers and evangelists and core leadership in My Church that will follow My heart in knowing this, that all things are for one purpose: to bring in this great Harvest …”
“But I’m asking an army, a Joel’s army to be equipped for what My heart is. And My heart is the Harvest, says the Spirit of Grace.”
The next time you see someone in need, instead of looking at them and then walking past them, stop and be hesed to them – be the one from whom they have no right to expect anything and give them what they need because your Father’s love flows through you.
Father, I say on behalf of everyone who reads this letter, that our hearts are wrenched out in compassion for the lost, for the great Harvest that You desire to bring. We do this Father because when we didn’t have a right to expect anything from You, You gave us everything,
Blessings!
Barry
