May 13, 2020
In a time of great trial, I needed compassion more then almost anything else. How about you? I needed to know that I was not alone. I needed to know that someone cared about me. I did not need to hear Bible verses quoted to me giving me the answers to my questions. I just needed compassion. I needed people to minister to me by just being there. They did not have to say the right words or even frankly say anything. And most of all I needed to understand that God knew what I was going through and that He understood. I needed to know that He cared about me.
All of that seems like a big ask. After all this is the God of the universe and I am just one individual among billions of other individuals. Why should I presume God would even care what is going on in my life? (I will not address His knowledge of my situation in this blog. I will do that in a later blog.) However, let me address the question of does God care.
Do not be concerned about asking the question does God care. Even David asks this question in Psalm 8:3-4,
“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (ESV)
Isaiah gives us a picture of God by likening Him to nursing mother. Now, my wife and I never had children so I cannot speak to the analogy as an expert, but I have witnessed nursing babies and can see that it would certainly be hard for a mother to forget their nursing child. However, in the analogy Isaiah says even though she might forget, God will never forget. As you will see from the passage Isaiah is quoting God in Isaiah 49:15,
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” (ESV)
Jesus then answers the question in Matthew 6:31-33,
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (ESV)
You see Jesus is telling us about a loving compassionate Heavenly Father who cares enough to provide everything we need. The key here is that He supplies what we NEED not necessarily what we want. He also tells us how to be comforted and have hope in this fact. It is to seek God, His kingdom and His righteousness.
Jesus further expands the answer in Matthew 10:30-31,
“But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Here Jesus is telling us not to fear because God is aware of every detail of our lives. He tells us that God knows about every hair on our head, for some that is more than for others. He also refers to the sparrows who God feeds. So, we are to not be afraid because God is compassionate, He cares even for the smallest detail.
All of these things and many other passages in the Bible lead me to one conclusion. Our God is compassionate and because of that, I don’t need to live in fear but rather live with hope. It is only by my personal relationship with God can I have confidence. Do you have this kind of relationship with God? If not find out how you can here.
