A Compassionate God
Posted by Karah
Pause
Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Take a deep breath and ask God to reveal more of His character to you today.
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”
—Psalm 103:8,13
Read Psalm 103:8-14 in your Bible. Underline the words or phrases that teach you about God’s compassion and how He shows it to us.
• Think about the analogy in verse 13. How does it help you to better understand God’s compassion? If compassion isn’t a big part of your relationship with your parents, how is God’s compassion different?
• How have you seen God display His compassion in someone’s life? In your life?
Respond
Think about God’s compassion toward you—shown most clearly in Jesus willingly taking on our sin and defeating it on the cross. Journal your response to God’s compassion below. Take time to thank and praise Him for specific ways He has treated you with compassion.
Behind the Story
In verses 11-12, the psalmist used imagery to help us understand both God’s love and compassion toward us.
“As high as the heavens”: This is an immeasurable distance used to show that God’s love for us is infinite.
“As far as the east from the west”: Another immeasurable distance is used to help us see that God doesn’t just forgive; He takes our sin away, removing it from our lives.
The Point
Compassion is a key component of God’s character. Because compassion is at the core of who He is, God has not given us what we deserve: punishment for our sin.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions