Compassion

Compassion (Lam. 1:12-16, 3:22-24, 31-33) Compassion: Sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it (Webster’s) Racham (Heb.) - compassion, mercy, pity, care, tender love as a mother for the fruit of her womb (see Isa. 46:3) Involves awareness, feeling and action (Matt. 25:34-40) God’s Compassion God does not willingly bring affliction or grief (Lam. 3:33) God’s compassion never fails and is new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23, Ps. 25:6) Compassion is part of God’s Name (Ex. 34:5-7) Repentance is met by God’s forgiveness out of compassion (Deut.13:17, 30:3, 2 Chron. 30:9, Ps. 78:38, Luke 15:20) The Lord sends us warnings out of compassion (2 Chron. 36:15) God is full of compassion (Ps. 86:15, 111:4, 112:4, 145:8) God’s compassion is like that of a parent to His child (Isa. 49:16) The Lord’s extends compassion after discipline (Jer 12:15, Lam. 3:32, Micah 7:19) To whom He will show compassion is up to God (Rom. 9:15) God had compassion on Ninevah after seeing their repentance despite Jonah’s objections. Our appropriate response in difficult times is to trust in God’s compassion & faithfulness and therefore to wait upon Him for deliverance. Compassion as Demonstrated by Jesus Jesus had compassion on the crowds (Matt. 9:36, 14:14, 15:32, Mark 6:34, 8:2) Jesus had compassion of the sick (Matt. 20:34, Mark 1:41, 5:18-19) Jesus had compassion on the grieving (Luke 7:13) Our Compassion We are called to emulate the Lord’s compassion (Zech. 7:9, Matt.18:33, Luke 10:33, Heb. 10:34, 1 Pe. 3:8) Refusal to show compassion is one of the sins for which Edom was condemned (Amos 1:11) Going through trials ourselves helps to make us compassionate (Heb. 5:2) Whether or not we demonstrate compassion a way of determining whether or not the love of God is in us (1 John 3:17, Jude 1:22)