Compassion: God's Compassionate Heartናሙና

God's Motherly Nature

The word that God uses to describe himself as compassionate comes from the Hebrew root rekhem, which means “womb.” When we think of God’s compassion, we can imagine the connection a mother has to her unborn child.

Like a mother’s physical and emotional connection to her helpless infant, God’s compassion is a powerful force. A child is protected, nourished and nurtured by its mother’s womb. God’s compassion works in much the same way, sheltering and sustaining us in our vulnerability.

While a mother’s compassion toward her child is fierce and tenacious, Isaiah 49:15 observes that even that connection may falter or fail in our broken world. But God’s compassion toward us is immovable. He’s always compassionate.

Jesus knows that the people of Jerusalem will reject him, yet he describes his compassion toward them by comparing himself to a protective mother hen: “How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!” (Luke 13:34, NET). God’s arms are outstretched to receive us with his tender care if we will only seek shelter in his embrace.

Reflection:

What is an area in which you need to experience the healing and comfort of God’s compassion today?

In your experience, how would you say God’s character has most often been described to you?

In what way is your understanding of God’s compassion informed by the image of a nursing mother or a hen sheltering her chicks?