Thursday, February 16, 2012

Compassion's Gate

Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.” Psalm 119:76. "Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning…he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.” Lam 3:22-23, 32.

These two men understood how to receive compassion. It was clear that the road to and from compassion was through the gate of God’s law, LOVE. The One who loves us deeply lavishes His compassion upon us because of that love, one being a product of the other.

A few years ago my daughter’s boyfriend was killed in a motorcycle accident devastating her heart. Because of the great love that we had developed between us through the years my compassion for her was unending. It never mattered how many talks had to be repeated, or how many tears had to be shed the sustaining anchor of my compassion for her was my overarching love for her. How less of a parent I am as I am measured to our Father…oh, how He must love us! The more we live for His law of love the more impact we will make for His kingdom through His flow of compassion into our lives. His compassion spills over into our hearts and the more we love, our compassion overflows to a hurting world.

This world provides such a numbing effect to our surroundings with its counterfeit and empty definition of love. We hear horrifying and heart breaking stories and for a moment we are touched, our heart is moved and we relate. But within the hour we have turned our hearts and focus to the dead things of this world. Our compassion must be put into action. We must turn our pity into priority. We must give to others poor in spirit what God has given to us. We must be courageous and pray the prayer of our author in Psalms:

“Let your compassion come to me that I may live”…Break our hearts for what breaks Your heart so we may live in love and not walk around dead in spirit.

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