A Compassionate Father

During his time on earth, Jesus was the embodiment of God’s compassion. Scripture frequently tells us that Christ was “moved with compassion” by the suffering of the people (see Mark 6:34, 8:2). If that was the case in the first century, what grief must be in our Lord’s heart now? 

I believe it is all God can do to restrain himself from moving in before the end of time and putting an end to it all. I will never believe he is some benign spirit who sits in heaven, unmoved by the horrible spirits loose in this world. No, he is a compassionate Father who agonizes over his suffering children. 

The Bible tells us, “His compassions fail not” (Lamentations 3:22, NKJV). “But you, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15). 

We read of an incredible scene: “Then great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’s feet, and he healed them” (Matthew 15:30).

Can you imagine this scene? All around Jesus, hundreds of afflicted people were sitting and lying on the ground. There were little children too sick to sit up, people crying aloud for help, groaning in pain, fevered, demon-possessed, diseased, despairing. 

Jesus did not turn them away. He performed miracles of healing and deliverance. The dumb spoke, the crippled leaped, the blind saw and the sick and diseased suddenly were made whole. The crowd pressed in even closer with every healing. I imagine the people picking up their sick children and pushing forward as the disciples struggled to keep order. 

These people had been out in the wilderness for three days without food and were fainting from hunger. That’s when Jesus told his disciples, “I have compassion on the multitude…I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way” (Matthew 15:32).

God wants every one of us to be a part of his compassionate heart to the world. If you are willing, he will send the needs to your doorstep. Present yourself to the Lord to be used, and he will open doors to you, then you will truly know the Father’s heart of compassion.