Compassion

Everyone envisions God a little differently. However, I love to look at the character or attributes of God from a theological perspective. I find that there are some incredible words to describe Him, even though God is not totally describable. He is:

Loving; merciful; giving; powerful; compassionate; mighty; magnificent; forgiving; reliable; omniscient; omnipresent; omnipotent; good; great; unchanging; inerrant; Creator; eternal; holy; righteous; transcendent; Infinite; immeasurable; immutable; just; faithful; beneficent; truthful; benevolent; persistent; immanent; unique; One.

You might use some other words that are descriptors of God, but I think the above list is awesome as God is, or I AM.

We don’t always experience these at once or maybe not at all. Sometimes a particular attribute of God seems absent, although, He is always consistent in them all. I think we may miss His compassion when we sin and we are being disciplined in falling short of the glory of God. Yet, He still is compassionate.

“Because of God’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).  This is Jeremiah’s exaltation to God even in the persecution that he and Israel were experiencing.  It is worth noting that God’s Compassions never fail. In fact they are new every morning because He is faithful to us, even when we are not to Him.

Throughout the OT God is having compassion on His people, those that follow Him. I think the workings of God and His compassion are epitomized in Nehemiah.

But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the land of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time” (Nehemiah 9:28). What a story of God’s faithfulness and compassion.

When Jesus saw the crowds He had compassion on them in Matthew 9. Perhaps the most beautiful exhibition of God’s compassion is the story of the Lost or prodigal son in Luke 15. Here the father or God’s response to the son is, ‘But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him’ (Luke 15:20). I don’t need better examples. I have experienced this compassionate love from the Father that I did not receive from my own father. He has embraced me and lifted me off the floor to himself where I am forgiven and loved and redeemed.