Compassion Found

"And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time."

This is found in Nehemiah 9 -- After God had helped the people to reconstruct the wall of Jerusalem, they celebrated and also recounted the many times that they and their ancestors rebelled against God but He he continued to have compassion . . .

It could just of easily been a recounting of my story . . .

I was just struck with God's mercy the last couple of days as I've been reading through Nehemiah -- the pattern was that over and over again the people sinned and rebelled and God still had mercy! This is one of the many times that in the Old Testament we see in the lives of His people as a community the pattern of how God's love and mercy continues to work in our lives today . . .

"But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love." (9:17)

"Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. . . . You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them." (9:19, 20)

"But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers . . ." (9:27)

"But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God." (9:31)

I'm in a land that knows little or nothing about grace and mercy. It's hard to watch -- none of us can make it to Nirvana.

I am so thankful that I don't have to. I am so thankful that I don't have to live in shame and regret. I am so thankful that I don't have to live with the burden of trying to 'do good' so I can work off my sin.

And neither do you. I'm praying that today you will be thankful. And that you will live and move and breath in the forgiveness of Christ!

Your Kingdom come . . .