S46P8 – A Father’s heart: flowing with compassion
Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
It had been a terrible evening, and he was not looking forward to what remained of it. She had just told him that things were not working out as she liked. They had been together for quite some time, and it was practically expected that they one day would tie the knot. Now he had to go home and tell his family that this relationship was over. What he dreaded most was his father’s response. He thought he knew what to expect. He thought that dad would blame him for not being a better man. Instead, he was surprisingly met with pity instead of judgment. His father was no stranger to heartache himself, and seeing the pain in his son’s eyes only brought out compassion in him.
We sometimes may think that God is looking down on us with disfavor because we mess up a lot. We might expect that He is shaking his head and rolling his eyes and saying something to the effect of “that’s what you get” or “you’ve made your bed, and now you’ve got to lie in it.” Although we sometimes are the reason why we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, we must confess that our merciful Father is a compassionate Father. He understands. Whether we are experiencing heartache, shame or loneliness, He takes pity on us. He is not one to shake his finger and simply let us suffer what we deserve. He extends grace and mercy. In those moments, it is not his goal to tear us down and make us feel smaller. He comforts and supports us in our time of dejection.
Scripture tells us that our time in this world will be marked with trials and suffering. This is not an easy place to live. In the midst of our difficulties and our failures, we have a heavenly Father who is here to support us with compassion. In fact, it was God who walked the Earth to suffer every trial and temptation that we might suffer. When He says that He understands it is because He has experienced it. Even more so, we cannot think of another who has had to deal with the hatred and rejection that God has had to endure undeservedly from his own creation. He certainly understands. Father, thank You for extending your merciful compassion to comfort us in the midst of our suffering.