RolingerHome

I want to thank everyone who prays for me. Caretaking is an exhausting, rewarding job and I am grateful for prayer. I am learning so much, and I just wanted to share one fresh thing with you all.

In Exodus 33, 34 one of the attributes that God shares with Moses about Himself is that He is compassionate. The word used in scripture refers to deep love (usually of a "superior" to an "inferior") rooted in some "natural" bond. It is used of a mother's love toward her nursing baby (Isaiah 49:15). It can also refer to a father's love (Psalm 103:13). BUT the usage that thrills me today is that feeling that people should have toward other helpless people (and often don't. Isaiah 13:18). It is deep love, tender mercy, pity, compassion toward those who are helpless.

I am thrilled with the thought of this deep love toward the helpless, because I experience it every day toward my mother. I feel sorry that she doesn't have the strength to put on her socks. I feel sad for her that she can't do what she wants to do. I feel tender toward her as I give her showers and do for her what she is unable to do for herself. I share my tenderness with her and I can see it encourage her. I say and do tender things and she is visibly blessed.

Now, please, stop and think about this wonderful truth! This is how God is toward us! He pities us!

One of the difficult things in a trial is feeling little or no compassion from people for whatever reason. They don't understand what you're going through, they feel like you are letting them down because you can't do for them what you once did, or they think it shouldn't be that hard for you, or you should do things differently or... well, there are so many more reasons. This was a struggle for me at the start of my present trial. I was longing for pity, for sympathy, for tenderness from someone other than my dear husband (I'm being honest here) and then God showed me that He pities me. He is tender toward me. He shares His tenderness with me every day and it encourages me! Isn't that a blessing? I could write a whole chapter in my book on how God demonstrates that tenderness. It's amazing! He has a daily deep love toward us.

I hope this encourages you. God is compassionate! Toward you! Yes, you! He demonstrated that compassion in giving His son on the cross for your sin. When you sing "how deep the Father's love for us" think compassion! Mercy! Pity!

That's what I call a deep, deep love!

Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

Can a woman forget her nursing child
And have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
but I will not forget you.
Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Isaiah 49:15, 16