“In all that Christ does toward us, compassion is central to His actions.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – May 14, 2024
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36
As I walk along the road of life and experience Jesus, there are many things I love about Him. I love that He is my Redeemer. I love that He is my Rock, my Savior, my God who heals, provides, and guides. But one trait and characteristic that I love about Him deeply is His compassion because it infuses every other trait He has with tenderness and love.
In the book, Gentle and Lowly, author Dane Ortlund shares about the beautiful, compassionate heart of Christ.
In the four gospel accounts given to us in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—eighty-nine chapters of biblical text—there is only one place where Jesus tells us about his own heart.
In Matthew 11:28-30 he says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Ortlund goes on to say,
In the one place in the Bible where the Son of God pulls back the veil and lets us peer way down into the core of who he is, we are not told that he is “austere and demanding in heart.” We are not told he is “exulted and dignified in heart.” We are not even told that he is joyful and generous in heart . . . instead his surprising claim is that He is “gentle and lowly in heart.”
What beauty and comfort this brings to the Christian! It means that in all that Christ does toward us, compassion is central to His actions. When you are struggling with sin, He is compassionate. When you are heavy laden with worry, He is compassionate. When you are weary, He is compassionate. When you feel as if you have failed Him, He is compassionate.
As Ortlund says, “Our heart is what defines and directs us . . . So when Jesus tells us what animates him most deeply and what is most true of him—when is most true of him—when he exposes the innermost recesses of his being, what we find is gentle and lowly. He is saying, ‘I am gentle.’”
When he invites us to come to him when we are heavy laden, we don’t need to worry about being perfect before we come. We don’t need to clean ourselves up or get our act together. Instead, Jesus invites us to come to Him and we will experience His compassion, because that’s who He is.
He is kind. He is gentle. He is always there for you, no matter what you are going through because His heart demands that He act with compassion. He can be no other way. Compassionate is who He is.
“For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).
Prayer
Thank you, Jesus, for your beautiful heart of compassion. Because your compassionate heart drives all that you do toward me, I know I can come to you with full assurance that you are on my side no matter what I face today. You will always be there to help me. Thank you, Lord. You are so beautiful. Amen.
Application
Talk with the Lord about a need you have today, knowing that He is receiving you with deep love and deep compassion.
Related Reading
John 7:37; John 6:37; Revelation 22:17
Worship Resource
Selah: Wonderful Merciful Savior
Donate
If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision.
Download our app!
