Tuesday, October 30, 2007

God's Compassion and Mercy

This morning I was reading in my own devotional time, as well as reading to the kids, about the compassion of God in so many different ways.
Starting with Judges I read about His amazing patience with the Israelites in light of their outright disobedience. I also read two stories to the children, the story about Abram rescuing his selfish nephew, Lot... and then the story of Jairus and his dying daugther and the lady with the bleeding problem. Remember how the lady with the bleeding issue touched Jesus's cloak and He felt the power go out from Him. She tremblingly admitted it was her, and Jesus compassionately says, "Daughter, your faith has healed you, go in peace." Then, with Jairus, the poor man comes begging Jesus to heal his 12-year-old daughter... but someone came to tell Jairus she had died and not to bother the Lord. Of course, you know the end of the story when Jesus goes with Jairus and his wife, and his favorite disciples... and tells the girl to get up. What a beautiful story of God's love. (I couldn't help but to cry and cry in the middle of reading that story... thinking about the loss of that family and Christ's mercy on them. How that must have felt!) He cares for each of us that way, aware of the details and hardships of our lives... there is no indication (to my knowledge) that Jairus was an important man or even a godly man... Jesus is merciful and kind to all.
Lastly, the most compelling story of God's compassion, that of our own Savior's death on the Cross. C.H. Spurgeon says, "The tree that brought death to our Savior is a tree of life to us. Sit under this true Tree of Life, and you will shake off the weakness and disease that came in by that Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary to Africa, used certain medicines that were known as Livinstone's Rousers. But the glorious truths that are extracted from the bitter wood of the cross are far better rousers!"
Lately, I have been burdened by the sufferings of people around me. A friend who miscarried her baby after two years of infertility, and finally had become pregnant via Invitro. Another friend who just lost her baby mid-term, the fourth time she has walked through this. And numerous trials I cannot even mention.
I was reminded this morning of Christ's compassion. Although, for reasons we may never know, He sometimes holds back His hand from physical healing, yet He is still compassionate and He demonstrates that ultimately on the Cross.. healing us from our most grave disease, our sin.

1 comment:

Denise said...

Thank you, dear Juli, for the post on God's compassion. That story just shows how loving Jesus is to go hearl Jarius' daughter after death had snatched her away... Mercy, what a sweet word... (I'm crying now too, because his mercy is so very beautiful and so very undeserved).

I love that you ended with, "for reasons we may never know, He sometimes holds back His hand from physical healing, yet He is still compassionate and He demonstrates that ultimately on the Cross"

Amen, Juli. The cross is a sign of every one of Christ's character qualities... mercy, compassion, love, grace, suffering FOR us.

This just touched my heart so much. Thank you!