[364]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE GOD OF COMPASSION
Our God is a God of compassion and love. Compassion is a very real attitude of God for me because sometimes we mess up and fail but a compassionate God and Father welcomes us home when we confess our sin and the Holy Spirit leads us to repentance.
Some people think of God as being austere and condemning all people. Others see Him as a Santa Claus oblivious to sin and its consequences, and think all are swept into heaven after death.
However both positions are very wrong. It is true that God is a God of wrath against sin, but He is a God of compassion for the sinner. He hates sin but loves the sinner. Between those two aspects, wrath and compassion, lies the cross for it was there Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Lamb of God, redeemed sinners so the compassion of God would result in salvation. There is no other way.
What is compassion? The synonyms provided by Word are these – “sympathy, empathy, kindness, benevolence, kind-heartedness” and all those can be applied to God.
The first mention of compassion in the bible in the NASB is in this verse – {{Genesis 19:16 “but he [Lot] hesitated, so the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him, and they brought him out and put him outside the city.”}}. This was when the two angels literally had to drag Lot out of Sodom for his sinful heart was there. It says all this happened because of the compassion of the Lord (towards one who did not deserve it).
One of the greatest passages for compassion is this one that happened at the giving of the Law – {{Exodus 34:6-7 “Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth, who keeps loving kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; YET HE WILL BY NO MEANS LEAVE THE GUILTY UNPUNISHED, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”}}
This poem broadly tells the Gospel.
Just one New Testament verse – {{James 5:11 “Behold, we count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that THE LORD IS FULL OF COMPASSION AND IS MERCIFUL.”}}
[[ I am so glad that our Father in Heaven
Tells of his love in the book he has given;
Wonderful things in the Bible I see;
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.
REFRAIN:
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me,
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.]]
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THE GOD OF COMPASSION
We serve a compassionate God of love,
Who has received us by Christ’s sacrifice.
The Lord our Saviour is waiting above.
His death on the cross will always suffice.
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The holiness of God condemned all men;
From God’s holy presence, sinners were barred.
Their sins were an offence loudly spoken
That has left purity’s face wholly scarred.
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God reached down to us, but not us to Him.
In fullest rejection, we shunned the Lord.
We sought not God even on a whim.
God’s love to us continued to be poured.
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The Lamb of God showed that love when on earth.
He healed the sick and wept with those in need.
He embraced the poor, and taught the new birth,
And preached the Gospel, sowing the good seed.
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Compassion is a reason Jesus died.
The righteous One became the guilty One.
On the cross, for the world, His arms spread wide,
For, at that place, our victory was won.
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Sorrows and trials will come on all God’s own.
For godly ones, persecution will rise,
But the Lord watches for them from His throne.
The persecutors will reap judgement’s prize.
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God does not wish for any to perish,
But through Jesus Christ, by faith to be saved.
God’s creation, He will always cherish,
But the road of faith can be roughly paved.
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God loves His children and cares for them all.
Each morning, His compassions are renewed.
His mercies, with grace poured out, and His call,
Is tender-hearted and lovingly viewed.
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“My children, My heart yearns, and cares for you.
You are the fruit of Golgotha’s passion.
All My compassion towards you is true.
Love one another after this fashion.”
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4th April 2026 Ron Ferguson 10 throughout ABAB