Recently, my wife and I attended Grandparents and Special Friends Day at our grandson’s school. He’s in First Grade.

This was the first major face-to-face event at the school since the Pandemic ended such joyful times.

To keep everyone as safe from Covid as feasible, all of us had to have proof of being fully vaccinated or of recently testing negative. Everyone, including the children, still wore masks.

Nevertheless, everyone was overflowing with mirth and joy.

My wife and I were so proud of our grandson as he raced around, introducing us to his many friends, and showing us his classroom and the things he’d made for us.

Since it was nearly Thanksgiving, he had written on a turkey’s head: “I am thankful for my nana and grandpa because they love me and give me cookies!”.

The highlight came when about 100 students sang outdoors in an amphitheater.

As I heard the happy hubbub of children playing and the joyful noises of children singing, I thought about Bible passages.

Some Bible passages lament the sounds of silences.

Silences caused by the absence of children’s youthful, happy voices. Silences caused by community calamities such as the Pandemic. (Jeremiah 7:34; 16:9; 25:10).

Other Bible passages celebrate the sounds of rejoicing.

Rejoicing caused by the return of children’s voices after times of silences. Rejoicing caused by good prevailing over evil. (Jeremiah 33:6,10-11).

Other Bible passages praise the hesed of the LORD.

At this time of year (Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas), we should thankfully praise the hesed of the LORD that endures forever. (Psalm 117; Psalm 136; see the READ MORE section for the definition of the Hebrew word hesed and my blogs about hesed).

At this time of year (Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas), we should thankfully praise the hesed of the LORD that blesses forever. (Psalm 117; Psalm 136; see the READ MORE section for the definition of the Hebrew word hesed and my blogs about hesed).

At this time of year (Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas), we should celebrate the hesed of the LORD that blesses us by restoring the happy hubbub of children playing and the joyful noises of children singing! (Psalm 117; Psalm 136; see the READ MORE section for the definition of the Hebrew word hesed and my blogs about hesed).

READ MORE

The word hesed in Hebrew is translated a number of ways in English:

     —Faithfulness. (Psalm 117:2 NIV).

     —Love. (Psalm 136 NIV).

     —Mercy. (Psalm 136 KJV).

     —Steadfast love. (Psalm 136 ESV; Exodus 34:6-7).

     —Lovingkindness. (Psalm 136 NASB).

     —Kindness. (Micah 6:8).

Since no one English word captures the richness of the Hebrew word hesed, I used the word hesed in this blog, and in my other blogs listed below.

For more of my thoughts about the hesed of the LORD God, please read my blogs “The Hesed of the LORD Endures Forever”, “Hesed Saves and Nurtures Baby Moses”, “Hesed Saves Israel—Passover”, “Hesed Nurtures Israel—From the Red Sea to Mount Sinai”, “Hesed Nurtures Israel—Mount Sinai”, “Hesed Establishes the Work of Moses’s Hands—Mount Nebo”, “Hesed Blesses Forever—David”, “Walking Humbly With Hesed—Micah”, “Hoping in Hesed—Jeremiah”, “Hesed Returns Israel to Jerusalem”, “Jesus Embodies Hesed—The Vision of Isaiah”, “Jesus Embodies Hesed—Fulfilling the Law of Moses and the Prophets”, and “Jesus Embodies Hesed—Saving Lost Sheep, Lost Coins, and Lost Sons”.

For more of my thoughts about Pandemic Wisdom, please read my blogs “Pandemic Wisdom: Straining at the Oars”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Meditating”, “Fear Not the Pestilence That Stalks in the Darkness”,  “Holding Your Hand, Hearing Your Voice”, “Pandemic Wisdom: The Faith of My Father”, “The Baby Jesus ‘Vaccine’ Is Coming”, “Irresistible Hurricanes of the Holy Spirit”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Feeding Multitudes”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Multiple Choice Exams & No-Win-Scenarios”, “Trusting the LORD Will Provide”, “Getting Out of Your Tent”, “LORD Willing”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Visions of America”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Hear and See, Understand and Perceive”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Praying and Waiting”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Festive Throngs”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Hezekiah”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Scattering the Church”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Paul Under House Arrest”, “Pandemic Wisdom: I Was Glad When I Went into the House of the LORD”, “Pandemic Wisdom: We Need No Longer Fear Death”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Our Lives Are Important, Significant and Meaningful”, and “Pandemic Wisdom: God Never ‘Rations’ His Love Nor ‘Triages’ His People”.