I Am Most Compassionate When ...

I read a status yesterday on Facebook.
It was short & sweet, but message it conveyed was so beautiful
that it stuck with me all day.
Here it is in my words:

When my children are sick, suffering, or hurting, 
that's when I am at my most compassionate.
Just think of the compassion coming from our heavenly Father 
to us, His children, when we are going through these same emotions.

Can't we mommas so easily relate to this?

When my sons were babies & were fussing during the night with a tummy ache,
I wanted nothing more than to soothe away their pain.
I held, rocked, softly sang, prayed, cuddled ...
anything I could think of to bring relief.

When they were toddlers & would wind up getting bumps, bruises, boo-boos,
I would make over them with hugs & kisses like it was the most serious injury in the world. 
That would somehow make it all better.


And now that they are older {teenagers}, 
they've experienced all sorts of hurts throughout the years.
There have been misunderstandings, broken hearts, hurt feelings,  
the tragedy of losing a close friend, family drama, & church turmoil.
Oh for the days when a band-aid & a kiss would do the trick.


Although it's been much tougher to understand these kinds of hurts,
I've done my best to comfort & console them ... 
giving them words of encouragement that everything would be alright.
And yes, there's still been plenty of hugs & kisses.
They are still my babies, no matter if they are teenagers.

As I was scanning through the years in my mind, 
acknowledging how easily & naturally the compassion kicked in for my children 
during these times of heartache & suffering,
I immediately felt the comforting presence of the Lord.
 
He is my heavenly father ... & I am His child.

I hurt, I cry, I suffer.

How comforting to know that He is looking & attending to me with compassion!

He sympathizes with me! 
He is touched by the feelings of my infirmities!
{Hebrews 4:15}


Doesn't that make you want to run to Him?!
To run into His arms as a child & to get as close to Him as possible ...
to hear Him whisper, "Rest in Me ... everything is going to be alright."

There's a song I've loved since I was a young girl ... & the words say this:
  
"He just takes me in His arms & holds me.
He reaches down to wipe the teardrops from my eyes.
He just takes me in His arms & holds me.
Ever so gentle til the feelings all subside."

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.