Compassionate Father

"Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him."

Psalm 103:13

A loving father will comfort his children when they are sad, encourage them when they are downtrodden, bear with their weaknesses, and patiently train them to do things right. An earthly father may fail sometime in his duties to his children (almost certainly he will), but our loving Heavenly Father will never fail. Never. To all those who revere Him and call Him "Father" He shows Himself faithful. "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are." (1 John 3:1)

The Healer of Broken Hearts and Wounded Spirits

He heals the brokenhearted

And binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

A couple of years ago I met a woman who had recently become a widow. She told the story of how her husband had died of cancer and that she was trusting God to heal her broken heart. Today I received an email from her. She has met someone, fallen in love and will be married next month. I immediately thought of Psalm 147:3. When the worst thing we can imagine happens to us, we can turn to our faithful God and give Him our broken hearts and wounded spirits. He understands our pain and He has a huge storehouse of love and compassion to pour upon us in our journey back to wholeness. 

God Helps Us

"For He Himself knows our frame; 

He is mindful that we are but dust."

Psalm 103:14

There is a common saying "God helps those who help themselves." It's a manmade phrase; you won't find it in the Bible.  To the contrary, God helps those who are unable to help themselves. That means everyone of us when it comes to salvation. He sent His Son to accomplish what we are helpless to do. Once we give ourselves to God, He helps us in our trials. He is our compassionate Father who knows all our weaknesses. Even before we recognize them. When we come to Him with our need, He doesn't chastise us and tell us to handle it on our own. He steps in with power and grace and supplies all we require.

The Heart of a Daddy

 "LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;

         You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear 

    To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed,"

Psalm 10:17-18

In a world turned upside down with tragedy, we have a God who cares. We may be tempted to think He is uninterested in what goes on around us, but nothing could be further from the truth.  God is infinitely interested in you, and me, and every other person on earth. He resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). While others may get weary of our words, God never will. He bends down to listen to His children, as a loving father stoops down to hear the voice of his little child. He doesn't want to miss a single word. How comforting to know that our all wise and powerful God has the tender, compassionate heart of a daddy.

Prayers of the Destitute

"He has regarded the prayer of the destitute

         And has not despised their prayer."

Psalm 102:17

In those times when we are destitute, feeling helpless in our afflictions, we may feel that there is nowhere to turn. Often others are suffering as much or more than we are, and we don't wish to add to their burden by talking about our problems. This is when we must remember to turn to our God. He is always available and willing to hear from us. We can come before Him with full assurance that He cares for us and will honor our prayers. Even our prayers of complaint. God never gets irritated or annoyed with us, no matter how many times we might pray about the very same thing. He loves us and is filled with compassion. 

Are we weak and heavy laden, 

cumbered with a load of care? 

Precious Savior, still our refuge; 

take it to the Lord in prayer.*

*Taken from the Hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Text: Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886 

Music: Charles C. Converse, 1832-1918