OMER COUNT – DAY 22

As we come to Omer Count – Day 22, we are considering the combination of Chesed of Netzach.

CHESED OF NETZACH

Remember that Netzach means “endurance;” and Chesed is the highest form of love, the love that God would choose to express. So; Chesed of Netzach would mean that we are considering how our love connects with our endurance.

My first personal observation would be how could one endure ANYTHING without love?

We are humans though, and it happens.

THE NATURAL TRUTHS OF CHILDHOOD

Want to know if your child gets this connection?

Try two experiments. Put one large piece of chocolate and one small piece of chocolate in front of them and ask them to share one piece with a friend.

Or – ask them to loan their favorite toy to a friend for just one day.

The truth will come forth.

CHOOSING LOVE OVER DUTY

I suppose an example of endurance without love would be when you are doing something just to be crossing off a check-list; or trying to please a superior. You dread doing this thing; but you do it because it will have consequences in your life that you do not want if you don’t accomplish the task.

That is definitely NOT the connection of chesed with netzach that we are pondering today.

To achieve chesed with netzach you must have a pure motive in your doing. It must come from a cheerful heart and be expressed in a loving way; not a dutiful way.

I’m reminded of that old bible verse that we all learned as children; “God loves a cheerful giver.”

GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER

If you are going to endure something for a long time; it would be best to endure it with chesed instead of dread.

Are you going to be babysitting for a friend? Did you say “yes” to their request but now you are dreading giving up that time to them? You could turn your whole attitude around here and remember what a pleasure it is to keep their child in your home.

If you add a little extra love into the mix you might even plan some extra special crafts or activities that you know this child likes.

I would be willing to believe that the whole experience turns out to be a beautiful memory for all three of you instead of an occasion you were dreading because of this reversal of attitude where you decide to include chesed into netzach.

EFFECTIVE ENDURANCE

Effective endurance needs to encompass the following seven ingredients: love, discipline, compassion, endurance, humility, bonding and dignity. The problems people have with endurance and commitment are due to a lack of one or more of these seven components.

If you stop to think it through you realize that anything that endures requires love. Children who do not receive the proper type of love growing up develop an emotional deficiency and have trouble displaying correct emotions. Love is the only cure. Marginal parenting is a terrible thing; you need to be all in to be successful. It means total commitment.

QUESTIONS:

We have to ask ourselves the following questions when we think of this connection of Chesed of Netzach:

1. Does my degree of love affect my commitments?
2. How much do I truly love the ones I’m committed to?
3. Do I love my work? My family? My play? My worship?
4. How lovingly committed am I to my life choices?

For endurance to be most effective it has to be caring and loving. Carrying out the daily commitments of life without love is counterproductive. If you are not careful this attitude can lead to one of control, or the type of forced demands that scare people and drive them away from you.

PATIENCE

The proper combination of love and endurance requires an attitude of patience. Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. It requires flexibility. Sometimes this type of endurance requires giving up your own goals to help others achieve their goals.

If you find yourself constantly defending your own goals; ask yourself if you are coming from a proper foundation of love. Is there a way to achieve the best outcome of a situation by being more patient and exercising more love?

THE BEST EXAMPLE

Again; the best example I know of for this connection is Jesus. He has exercised great patience with us, even to the point of dying for our sins.

Enduring the work of the cross took a very un-selfish love; the greatest love that could ever be added to endurance.

He did this for you and me.

What more could we ever ask?

Jesus was thirsty; but he took the time to patiently reveal himself to the woman at the well.https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/the-woman-at-the-well-in-relation-to-numbers-five/. His disciples had a schedule; but He told them to “let the little children come unto me.” https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/let-the-little-children-come-to-me. When His friend Martha was mad and a bit jealous of Mary; Jesus took the time to explain reality to her. https://corechristianity.com/resources/articles/two-kinds-of-discipleship-a-reflection-on-mary-and-martha-in-luke-1038-42 He endured the testing in the desert; not allowing the enemy of God to prevent him from doing the most righteous thing. https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/more-thoughts-about-balaam/.

There are countless other times that Jesus lived this connection out before us.

Follow him!