Beyond the Weekend

April 20 | Compassion

April 20, 2015

Text: Psalm 145

Our compassion for each other is rooted in God’s compassion. We’re to be compassionate, primarily, because God is compassionate. When we identify with those who are suffering—and move to alleviate that suffering—we’re not only reflecting God’s character, we’re showing the world how God acts toward us.

Israel’s second king, David, highlighted this aspect of God’s character, “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” (Psalm 145.8-9). One of seven places in the Old Testament where this statement appears, God is adamant that his people know he is compassionate: “To the suffering, the weak, the foolish, the despondent…he feels for them, he feels with them” (C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3, p. 378).

God’s compassion was just one of many reasons David exclaimed, “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise you for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever” (Psalm 145.1-2).

In the same way David was driven to worship by God’s compassion, so should we. Listen to Elevation Worship’s “Mercy Reigns” as you begin what may be a very busy week. Welcome God into it by worshiping him for his compassion.

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