God of Kindness

      The Names of God in scripture are such a great blessing and help us immeasurably in seeking to understand and know our perfect God of holiness, God of wonders. Infinite in all of His qualities and attributes. Infinite, Personal, and without tension between or among His attributes, but all are in perfect balance and coalesce with all of the others. He is infinite in holiness so then each attribute is also holy as well as infinite. The same could be said of all of them. But each contributes to our limited understanding and they all add up to the Glory of God—who He is and what He does and has done and will do.

         What is God like? He's not “like” anything or anyone else in human experience. He is who He is in Himself. When Moses asked God His Name, God told Him, “ I AM THAT I AM,” the self-existent, eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent Creator God of the universe.

      If we want to “see God” or know who or what God is “like,” we look at Jesus because He is God and one of the purposes of His coming was to show us God in human flesh. That's what “Incarnation” means.

        “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. John 1:14, 18

            ^“I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God;” Isaiah 45:5

        What are some names of God that reveal different aspects of His character and attributes? Great God of Wonders, the Most High God, Jehovah Shalom (the God of Peace), the God of all comfort. And all of creation reveal something about God's wisdom, power, and goodness. He is our Rock and our Fortress, the Good Shepherd, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is Our Father. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the God of Holiness and Righteousness. The God of Justice. God is Love. God is Light.

 

        But interestingly enough, in the English Bible, at least in the old King James Version, He is not called the “God of Kindness.” (although He is called the “God of Mercy” which is very similar.)

        That is a bit surprising when you think of how important a quality kindness is to God. He certainly is the God of kindness even though He does not bear that name in the old English Bible. Observe these verses, for example, to see how significant kindness is to God.. . Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, Nehemiah 9:17 KJV

        For his merciful kindness is great toward us: Psalm 117:2 KJV

       “ For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee,” Isa. 54:10 KJV

       I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.. Jonah 4:2 KJV

        However, in Hebrew we do specifically see God as “the God of kindness.” In Psalm 59:10 and 17 the Hebrew is translated “the God of my mercy.” The Hebrew word is checed, Strong's #2617. The primary meaning given in the lexicon is “kindness.” It can also be translated mercy or merciful.

        A similar word is racham which is so well translated “tender mercies” (and the adjective is in the Hebrew so that intensifies the tender feeling. Racham's primary meaning is “compassion.” And of course that takes us to that vitally important first chapter of 2^nd Corinthians where God is called “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. . . “ 1:3

       Compassion is such a vivid word because it breaks naturally into prefix and root: “with” and “passion or feeling.” What a remarkable truth that God feels our sorrow and grief and He cares. “His heart is touched with our grief,” as the hymn writer expressed it. “Jesus was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Isaiah 53:3 His death on the cross “brought us peace” 53:5 but it was at a terrible cost, “Out of the anguish of his soul” as well as horrible physical suffering. Isa. 53:11

       Since God in Christ was so tender and compassionate, what manner of people should we be who are told to “imitate” the Lord and to “follow His steps.” We are to reflect the life of Christ within us just as the moon reflects the glorious light of the sun. And a verse to carry with you to help you do that very thing is Ephesians 4:32 ^“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

        Our “God of Kindness” who called us to be holy as he is holy also calls us to be kind as He is kind “. . . so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Mt. 5:45

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Gal. 6:10 Go the “second mile” cheerfully and in kindness “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Gal. 6:2 “Love is kind.” 1 Cor.13:4 And it is part of the fruit of the Spirit: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. . . .” Gal. 5:22-23 ESV