September 1, 2024
Lamentations 3:22
It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.
Lamentations 3:23
They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.
Psalms 145:8
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
Zechariah 7:9
Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
Many people, even Bible scholars, use mercy and compassion interchangeably. However, there is a difference between the two. Mercy relieves someone of their suffering, such as when blind Bartimaeus cried out Lord, have mercy on me. Mercy is also withholding punishment from someone who deserves it, such as how God deals with us. It is of His mercies that we are not destroyed.
On the other hand, compassion is showing concern for someone. It is being kind to that person out of an act of love. Compassion is love in action. But did you know it’s possible to have mercy without compassion? Yes, mercy and compassion should always coexist. But for some people, that is not the case. A person can show mercy without feeling compassion. For example, a judge can show mercy by offering a more lenient sentence because he feels tremendous public pressure, not compassion for the defendant.
Another example is when Barabbas, a murderer, was released from prison instead of Jesus. Pontius Pilate released Barabbas not because of his compassion for him but because of pressure from the crowd. Pontius Pilate showed mercy to Barabbas by withholding punishment from him to be crucified, which he most definitely deserved.
The Lord is merciful to us repeatedly, not destroying us when we deserve it because of our sins and wrongdoings. Why is He so merciful to us? Because of His compassions for us. They are new every morning. God loves us so much and has so much concern for us. He wants us to live up to our full potential and be the best we can be for Him. 2 Peter 3:9 says: The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Every morning that God allows us to wake up, He demonstrates His care and concern for us, giving us another chance to get it right and serve Him.
As mere humans, our compassion for others can and does undoubtedly fail. We get tired of being kind to those who use and abuse us. Our patience can grow thin and become nonexistent for such persons. Our empathy and sympathy for them can fail because of their repeated ugly and evil actions. Think about that: we serve a God who, no matter what we do, His compassion never fails. It is because of His unfailing compassion that He is so merciful to us, and we have not received the punishment that we deserve.
In that same vein, God requires us to love our enemies and show mercy and kindness to them. In Matthew 5, Jesus gave instructions on how we are supposed to deal with our enemies and those who have wronged us. He said to love your enemies instead of hating them. Show mercy to them by blessing them instead of cursing them. Show them compassion by doing good, being kind to them, and praying for them.
So, who do you need to show mercy and compassion to right now? Even if you’re not in contact with that person, you can still show compassion by praying for them. You can show mercy by forgiving them. Better yet, forgive everybody who has wronged you or your loved ones. Now, it might not be easy. But Jesus is our perfect example, and by His Holy Spirit, the impossible becomes possible. Remember, it is of the Lord’s mercies that you are not consumed and that His compassions for you never fail.
Prayer,
Dear Father God,
Thank You, Lord, for Your mercy and compassion. Because of Your mercy, we are alive today. Lord, You forebear giving us the punishment we deserve because no matter how often we sin or commit wrong, Your compassion never fails. Your kindness and your concern, Lord, they never fail because You love us so. Lord, You never stop caring for us and being concerned about us. You demonstrate compassion by showing concern and kindness. We can be assured that when we wake up every morning, no matter what is going on in our lives, no matter what we have done, no matter what we may do, You care about us and what happens to us, and that care and concern will never, ever change throughout the day or our lives.
Lord, what consolation to know that Your compassion never fails. You want me to get it right. You are concerned that I make it into Heaven. You have not given me the punishment I deserve because Your main concern is not just to punish me. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Lord, Your main concern, Your primary interest, what’s important to You most is for my well-being, for me to be the person You created me to be so that I can worship You in spirit and in truth, in the spirit of holiness, and spend eternity with You.
Lord, help me to show mercy and compassion to those who have wronged me. I pray for their soul that they give their lives to You if they haven’t already done so and that they would grow closer to You, LORD. Thank You for the opportunity to pray for them and for giving me a heart of compassion as I try to be more like You. Thank You, LORD, that I am not consumed, all because Your compassions never fail. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.
In Jesus’ most holy and precious name, we pray, thank YOU, LORD.
Amen
Copyright © 2024 Dr. Lou Ella V. Taylor PhD, CNS, RN
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