Being Like Him - a 40 Day Lenten Devotionalনমুনা

Compassion

The compassionate heart of God was revealed to us through Jesus Christ. Compassion is to have empathy and deeply feel sorrowful and hurt about the needs of others. The Bible repeatedly talks about how Jesus had compassion on the crowd. He saw their helplessness and had great compassion (Matthew 9:36). He felt that they were like sheep without a shepherd.

The compassionate heart of God can be well understood if we realized the reason God chose to show his mercy and grace on each one of us. An uncle of mine who works among street children shared with me as to how he started his ministry in Mumbai. He was moved by the plight of the street kids, made around a hundred chapatis (Indian bread) every day and went to the railway station. He started distributing them every morning to these children. One day, a street child with dirt and wounds on his hands, took a piece of the chapati and brought it to his mouth to feed him. The hands that tried to feed him were so shocking and horrible that he wondered how to eat of it. It was then that the Lord quickly reminded him of his sinful state before Jesus washed him by His blood and made him clean. He saw in those dirty hands, his own dirt that was removed by God. Without thinking any further, he ate that chapati from the loving hand of that little boy.

Our compassion is not about feeling pity or charitable; our compassion derives its inspiration from what Jesus did to save our dirty and filthy life of sin. Today my uncle has two homes that take care of orphans and street kids. Several of these kids even share his surname.

When God gives us His heart of compassion, we are known by His name. The Bible says, “They will see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). It is not for anybody to be known or acknowledged, it is for His glory to be revealed.

To be like Him is to share His compassion. Have we become so self-consumed that we have forgotten to have His heart of compassion?

Prayer

God of compassion, give me a heart that is moved by the very things that touch your heart. Lord, lead me to show compassion to someone today so that your name will be glorified in and through my life. In Jesus name, Amen