Love God Greatly - Jonahনমুনা

God is a God of compassion

Do you know where the word “compassion” comes from? You might not find this as interesting as I do (I’m a linguist), but since we are talking about mercy and compassion, please, have mercy and stay with me. 

Compassion is a Latin rooted word formed by two words: “con-” a prefix which means “with” and “passion,” from the verb “pateo,” which means “suffer.” Those two words together mean literally “to suffer alongside with someone.” Another word that means the same is “sympathy.” The only difference is the use of the Greek prefix “syn-“ which also means “with” instead of the Latin “con-.“ Are you still there? 

So, based purely on the meaning of the words, the only way to be compassionate or having sympathy for someone is by suffering together with that person – either literally or metaphorically. 

Knowing the origin of the word helps me understand better why God´s compassion never ends, why He extends it in every occasion and situation. And that´s because He knows - He understands exactly what we are going through. 

Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” To the Greeks, the primary attribute of God was “apatheia,” the essential inability to feel anything at all. Jesus is not like that. He knows, and He feels what we go through.  

Doesn´t this thought blow your mind? Do you realize that Jesus is not only with you when you suffer but that He completely understands what you are feeling - your doubts, your struggles, your pain? 

Oh, Abba, I thank You for being a God of compassion, a God who understands my pain and walks with me through the hardest valleys. I praise You and bless Your name. Amen.