God’s great compassion towards us is beautifully portrayed in Psalm 103:13 which says “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” This verse gives us a glimpse into God’s heart as a loving Father, tenderly caring for His children.
The parable of the prodigal son provides a vivid picture of this compassion in action. When the wayward son returns home broken and repentant, the waiting father sees him from afar and is filled with so much compassion that he runs to embrace and celebrate his lost son (Luke 15:20). The father does not lecture his son or treat him as merely a servant. Though the son wasted his inheritance in rebellion, the father compassionately welcomes him back as his dear child without any reservations.
This is a glimpse of how our Heavenly Father’s compassion compels Him to run towards us when we turn to Him with contrite hearts, no matter how badly we have failed. God knows all our weaknesses and flaws yet His compassion moves Him to fully restore all who come back to Him. As Psalm 103 assures, He removes our transgressions, heals our diseases, redeems our life from the pit and crowns us with love and mercy.
We do not have to earn God’s compassion. It flows freely from His loving and gracious nature as our perfect Father. Understanding the depths of His compassion gives us courage to return to Him again and again, knowing we will be met with His embrace, not condemnation. Though we cannot fathom the depths of God’s love, we see glimpses of its power in Christ’s compassion during His earthly ministry and His sacrifice at the cross for our salvation. As His beloved children, we can have confidence in God’s endless compassion and abiding mercy when we humbly seek Him.
Lonnie Davis