Tag: Compassion

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 1

Mary of Bethany, parts 3&4

Posted on by

adapted from She, Volume 1, p 43 – 46

Read: John 11:1-45

So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary was sitting in the house. …Now when Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

John 11:20 and 11:32

Whatever it was that kept her at the house no longer mattered when Martha returned and secretly let her know that Jesus had come, “she got up quickly and went to Him”.

Mary of Bethany serves as an example of how we must not delay in coming to Him.1

As we saw in the previous post, when Martha ran out to meet Jesus, Mary had remained at the house. We do not know the reason; it could have been a number of things. Some commentaries suggest that she didn’t know He had returned or that she was still caught up in her mourning. I tend to think, knowing her previous desire to remain at Jesus’ feet, that she remained behind only because she did not know He had arrived.

Now, when Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at His feet and said to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the people who had come with her weeping, he was intensely moved in spirit and greatly distressed. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” 

– John 11:33-34

Mary had laid her grief and faith at the feet of Jesus

What Jesus did in response to her sorrowful spirit and faith-filled words – was born out of compassion for her sorrow but also from His agitation that Mary (and the people with her) had something to be sad about – as we read in verse 35, “Jesus wept” … and then commanded: “Take away the stone.” … 43 When he had said this, he shouted in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!… and Lazarus came out.”  It was a miracle that not only delighted Mary and her sister, but it brought many people to faith in Jesus.

Mary of Bethany serves as an example of the difference Jesus can make in our lives when we are willing to fall at His feet. 2

Reflection/Application
  • What can you bring to His feet today?
The More We Know

“Can you imagine seeing your Savior cry because He cares for you that much?” When I read this question in today’s study guide, I couldn’t help but think of 1 Peter 5:7. It is one of my favorite go-to verses in all of Scripture, which says, “Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you.“ I believe what we see Jesus do in response to Mary’s and the other mourners’ sorrow is a beautiful example not only of the truth of Peter’s statement, but also of how deeply Jesus truly cares.

  1. She, Volume 1, p45 ↩︎
  2. She, Volume 1, p46 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Our God Who Pursues, Quiet Time

The Hope of Restoration

Posted on by

based on the LGG Study, Our God Who Pursues/w1d4

Scripture: Joel 2:18-32 (SOAP verse 19)

Three things I noted from the reading today:

  • We move the heart of God when we do as He directs.
    • When the people cried out as they were directed, when they returned to the LORD as He gave them the opportunity to do – it was “Then the LORD became zealous for His land;
  • It is a wonderful thing when the LORD responds to His people.
    • “Then the LORD became zealous for His land; He had compassion on His people. The LORD responded to His people.”
  • The LORD sends His people hope of restoration.
    • He tells them, “Look! I am about to restore your grain as well as fresh wine and olive oil.” He promises them that they “will be fully satisfied” and that He would “never again make them an object of mockery among the nations.”

While I realize that this passage probably has a wealth of other truths and teachings, I was struggling to put it into words – but then I read the journal entry1 today from Love God Greatly’s study, “Our God Who Pursues.” I’m sharing it here because it is, in my opinion, the perfect commentary for today’s journey. I pray it is as rich a blessing for you as it is for me.

redeeming what was lost

We read in the previous chapter of Joel how God brought destruction on the people of Israel through the locust plague. His aim was to secure their undivided commitment to Him. They had been half- hearted in their worship, and they had gone after other things and other gods. That’s why God was fighting against His own people in order to bring them to repentance. He still does the same with His people today when we wander away from Him, our first love. He sometimes allows problems and hardships to bring us to repentance and draw us back to Himself.


But now God was going to bring restoration. He was going to make beauty from ashes. Can you imagine the hope that this message brought to the people? After their land had been decimated, God, in His kindness, promises to restore and renew that which was lost.


We see that with God there is hope. Even when we, His people, wander away from Him and let other things or people take priority over Him, God will not let us go. In His fierce love and jealousy, He will draw us back to Himself. He gives us His Holy Spirit who convicts us of our half-heartedness and pours His love into us again as we seek Him.


You may find yourself in a season when the locusts of this life have taken away everything. God, because of His great love for you, is allowing hardship in order to have your full allegiance, your whole- hearted worship. Turn to Him in repentance and put your full trust in Him, because one day He will make all things new. You don’t know how or when, but you know that He will. He has promised it. Believe Him.


PRAYER
God, life on this earth is hard, but you are a God of restoration. Help me to trust you no matter what may happen in my life, knowing that you have a plan to one day make all things new. Amen.

Our God Who Pursues/Journal Entry/p 53
The More We Know

Posted in Bible study

The Power of God’s Word

Posted on by
Scripture: Psalm 119:153-156 / W7D3 of LGG’s Study of Psalm 119

See my pain and rescue me.
For I do not forget your law.
154 Fight for me and defend me.
Revive me with your word.
155 The wicked have no chance for deliverance,
for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Your compassion is great, O Lord.
Revive me, as you typically do.

Psalm 119:153-156 NET

Have you ever been so desperate that you’ve prayed in this manner before? Pain, fear, danger, and/or trouble meet you around every corner, and you find yourself so weary and worn from it all that your very life seems to have been drained out of you – to the point that you need to be revived. I don’t know what kind of danger or trouble the psalmist faced from the wicked that he has mentioned, but regardless of the reason, he cries out for the Lord to see him…rescue him…fight for and defend him… and then my favorite request – the crescendo of them all: “revive me with your word.” The psalmist saw God as powerful and able to come to his aid, which isn’t surprising, but how awe-inspiring that he attributes life-giving power not just to God but to His Word as well. I can’t help but think of the words of Solomon to his sons, teaching them the wisdom he had received from God – words of wisdom that he said were life to those who find them and healing to their entire body.

My child, pay attention to my words;
listen attentively to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your sight,
guard them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and healing to one’s entire body.
23 Guard your heart with all vigilance,
for from it are the sources of life.

Proverbs 4:20-23

May we faithfully pay attention to the wisdom of God that we find in His Word. May we not let them out of our sight and diligently keep them in our hearts. May we never forget the power of His Word and not hesitate to ask Him to revive us with it – trusting that His words bring life to those who find them and healing to one’s entire body. Oh, may we all learn to pray in this manner when we face troubles of any kind. May we pray like this when we are tired and weary and worn down from seasons of strife or battles of physical or emotional health. May we pray like this for others who are struggling and/or at the end of their rope. May we remember that God cares about us and pray with boldness for Him to see us and rescue us, fight for us, and defend us. – May we pray it all in the name of Jesus – who is the Living Word of God, fully God and yet fully man, who came to reveal God to man and redeem all who believe in Him from their sin.1

The More You Know

See how to make today’s passage into a beautiful prayer for a friend or yourself

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Living In Community, Not Made to Be Alone, Quiet Time

It’s A Gift

Posted on by

based on, Not Made To Be Alone, a Love God Greatly study / w4d3

Today’s Reading: Zechariah 4:8-10 / SOAP: 9-10

 “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies said, ‘Exercise true judgment and show brotherhood and compassion to each other. 10 You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the resident foreigner, or the poor, nor should anyone secretly plot evil against his fellow citizen.


Zechariah 7:9-10
Love Like God

I love the way the LGG devotion for today describes this text. The writer opens by explaining that the name Zechariah means, “Yahweh Remembers.” And she goes on to explain that the message of Zechariah is one of hope, namely that “God would remember His people. He is always with us no matter the circumstances” of our life. The writer breaks this down even further with these examples – “heartache, unexpected pain, or long-term suffering.” She writes, “God remembers us. He shows us compassion when we need it most, serving as the perfect example so that we, who are created in His image, can reflect that care to others.” In other words – love like God.

Compassion

One of my favorite verses is found in Lamentations chapter three, where we read that God’s compassions, or His mercies as some translations define it, are new every morning. Jeremiah says they never end, they are fresh every morning and speak of the abundance of God’s faithfulness.

The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases;
his compassions never end.
23 They are fresh every morning;
your faithfulness is abundant!
24 “My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself,
so I will put my hope in him.

Lamentations 3:22-24

This was made even sweeter to me today as I read the LGG devotion and their explanation and commentary on the word “compassion”. The word “comes from two Latin words that mean ‘to suffer with’. The writer clarifies, “It is not just sympathy, but empathy.” But I especially love this next comment, “It is walking with someone else as they go through a difficult time, the same way God shows compassion to us by promising to never leave us or abandon us.” Isn’t that beautiful? What a great illustration of how we can encourage and show compassion to others in not only our biblical communities but our family and friend communities as well. As the writer made a point to say, “it is a gift to have a group of like-minded believers [church/biblical community] who will not simply feel sad for us but will choose to walk through life with us.”

Who is Included?

Clearly, from the passage today, we are to care for the widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor and weak – those who need us most – seems to be the idea. As the devotional writer put it, “No one in need of help should be ignored, overlooked, or forgotten.” We don’t get to pick and choose – for as the author says, “Everyone — from our sister to a stranger — is deserving of compassion.”

Our verse from the previous post reminded us that we are meant to be the lights of God to the world/communities around us. In a ‘me, me, me’ culture, I believe reflecting Him to the world through our love and compassion to those in need will be a very bright light.

Response to God’s Word

“May we be women who are good stewards of the gifts, time, and resources God has given us as we show those precious people God has placed in our lives that they are seen, known, and loved.”

borrowed from the LGG devotion from w4d3
More …

Don’t miss today’s LGG’s Blog Post

Posted in From the Insideout, God is good, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

I Bless Your Name

Posted on by

Today’s Prayer Prompt: Psalm 103:1-5

Father, You are Good! You forgive all my iniquities. You bring healing to my mind, my body, and my soul. You have redeemed my life from the pit. Father – You crown me with Your faithful love and compassion. You satisfy me with good things and I am renewed like the eagle who soars on the wind. My soul blesses You LORD – All that is within me blesses Your Holy Name!

I bless You LORD – my Father and my God – my Creator, Healer, and Sustainer of life and I do not – no, I will not forget ALL these benefits. They are unmerited favors – gifts from Your grace, poured out from Jesus, Your Son and my Savior+. Yes, oh yes! You are good and all that is within me blesses Your Holy Name!

Me-From the Inside Out🦋

Posted in Uncategorized

The God of All Comfort

Posted on by 
 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.  2 Corinthians 1:3-5  NLT

I believe to know that God is the “source of all comfort” is or should be a great encouragement and strength to every believer. Why? Because, as I have learned through troubles and trials of my own – and those of others – God is, without question, the ultimate comforter, and His Word is the greatest source of comfort. Whether we are suffering from an illness, finances, relationship, or some other life event – having a trusted comforter and/or counselor, as it is translated from the Greek word ( parakletos), is of great value. Think about it, the Creator and sustainer of the universe who knows all there is to know about us, the One who commands the winds and the waves to be still is ready, willing, and able to guide and comfort us. Seriously, could there be any truer source of comfort? All other sources, even the dearest of friends and family, will fall short in comparison. Don’t misunderstand me, God will undoubtedly use others to encourage and comfort us throughout life, in part that’s what this verse is about. From the time we are born to the time we die we will all have need of comfort, which is basically the encouragement and strength to keep going when life is difficult, sad, or overwhelming. However, as Paul told the Corinthians, even this comfort from others flows from God who has in time past comforted them. Paul was able to comfort because he had known God’s comfort in His own sufferings. He is one of the greatest mentors of my faith – not because I knew him or talked to him directly, but because he shared how he suffered, prayed, still suffered and yet boasted of God’s power and all-sufficient grace. The same is true for us as believers today. Because we have His Spirit, the comforter, in us we can comfort others out of the wealth of comfort we have received from Him in our own experiences. It is good to remember that there may be some who receive the comfort indirectly by remembering what they saw or heard about how God took us through a difficult time or how we praised Him even in the storm. Paul says, this in itself will be an overflowing source of comfort to those who are dealing with their own suffering.

So here’s the real challenge … How are we dealing with our suffering? Do others see us leaning on Jesus or full of panic and overcome by fear? Do they hear our praises when He delivers us through a particular trial or are they left to wonder how we came through it so well? Paul’s life is a great example, whether he was dealing with the health issues that plagued him or the persecution and imprissonments he endured, he never stopped sharing the Gospel, love, and power of Christ. Even when things didn’t go as he prayed they would go – he boasted of his weaknesses so that God’s all-sufficient grace and power would be made known.

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT

Father, thank You for the troubles of this life that allow us to know Your comfort and that strengthen us in our faith. May we, like Paul, boast in You – even in the storms of life – that others will know You and Your all-sufficient grace and Your enduring compassion, comfort, and overwhelming peace. This I pray in Jesus’ Name – amen.

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 4, Thursday Finding Fruit in the Desert

Posted on by

Hosea 9:10-17

The Lord says, “O Israel, when I first found you,
    it was like finding fresh grapes in the desert.
When I saw your ancestors,
    it was like seeing the first ripe figs of the season.
But then they deserted me for Baal-peor,
    giving themselves to that shameful idol.
Soon they became vile,
    as vile as the god they worshiped.
11 The glory of Israel will fly away like a bird,
    for your children will not be born
or grow in the womb
    or even be conceived.
12 Even if you do have children who grow up,
    I will take them from you.
It will be a terrible day when I turn away
    and leave you alone.
13 I have watched Israel become as beautiful as Tyre.
    But now Israel will bring out her children for slaughter.”

14 O Lord, what should I request for your people?
    I will ask for wombs that don’t give birth
    and breasts that give no milk.

15 The Lord says, “All their wickedness began at Gilgal;
    there I began to hate them.
I will drive them from my land
    because of their evil actions.
I will love them no more
    because all their leaders are rebels.
16 The people of Israel are struck down.
    Their roots are dried up,
    and they will bear no more fruit.
And if they give birth,
    I will slaughter their beloved children.”

17 My God will reject the people of Israel
    because they will not listen or obey.
They will be wanderers,
    homeless among the nations.

The early fruit of the fig tree is especially good, and Israel was special to the Lord. But this joyful experience didn’t last –

Read the full devotional

Deuteronomy 28:64-65

For the Lord will scatter you among all the nations from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship foreign gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods made of wood and stone! 65 There among those nations you will find no peace or place to rest. And the Lord will cause your heart to tremble, your eyesight to fail, and your soul to despair.

Psalm 77:7-9

Has the Lord rejected me forever?
    Will he never again be kind to me?
8 Is his unfailing love gone forever?
    Have his promises permanently failed?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he slammed the door on his compassion? 

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Shame Breaker, Week 1 Tuesday – God Removes Our Guilt

Posted on by

Today’s Scripture – Psalm 103:12-13 (S.O.A.P. Psalm 103:12-13)

He has removed our sins as far from us
    as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
    tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

Today’s Blog Post

If you would like to continue following this four-week study and other posts from the Nsideout sign-up below

Posted in LGG Study

Bridge to Everlasting Covenant Week 1, Thursday

Posted on by

Question of the Day: How can God’s loyal love and faithfulness continually protect us?

Scripture for Today: Psalm 40:11-17 (S.O.A.P. Psalm 40:11)

Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.
    Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.
12 For troubles surround me—
    too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
    I can’t see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
    I have lost all courage.

13 Please, Lord, rescue me!
    Come quickly, Lord, and help me.
14 May those who try to destroy me
    be humiliated and put to shame.
May those who take delight in my trouble
    be turned back in disgrace.
15 Let them be horrified by their shame,
    for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”

16 But may all who search for you
    be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
    repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!”
17 As for me, since I am poor and needy,
    let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.
You are my helper and my savior.
    O my God, do not delay.

Today’s Blog
Posted in Bible study, Quiet Time

Psalm 40:11-17

Posted on by

O Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me. May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me! 12 For innumerable dangers surround me. My sins overtake me
so I am unable to see; they outnumber the hairs of my head so my strength fails me. 13 Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me! O Lord, hurry and help me! 14 May those who are trying to snatch away my life be totally embarrassed and ashamed. May those who want to harm me be turned back and ashamed. 15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be humiliated and disgraced. 16 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you. May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually, “May the Lord be praised!” 17 I am oppressed and needy. May the Lord pay attention to me. You are my helper and my deliverer. O my God, do not delay.

Psalm 40:11-17

Have you ever heard of “Praying God’s Word back to Him”? It’s where you take what You know of God, His character, His Words, His actions, His expressed thoughts and will, what pleases and displeases Him … and you let this knowledge guide your prayers. In some situations it may be praying His exact Words back to Him. Take for example a prayer of repentance/forgiveness – Father, You have said “Do not lie”, please forgive me for lying. However, praying God’s Word back to Him can also flow – not as a direct quote – but rather out of what we have learned from His Word or our experiences with God. I believe, this Psalm is a wonderful example – not only of this type of prayer but of the benefit that comes from it.

We only have to look back at the preceding verses of this Psalm to know that the Psalmist obviously knew God was compassionate and that His love and faithfulness were unfailing – and – he prayed accordingly. How was this beneficial? Because –

  • In his desperation he knew He could depend on God (11)
  • Depending on God’s compassion, love and faithfulness, kept him from losing hope in the midst of a frighteningly overwhelming situation (12-15)
  • It set his eyes on God and even turned His thoughts and prayers to the needs of others (16)
  • Finally, it gave him resolve to trust completely, the One he knew as his helper and deliverer (17)

As one who has suffered from panic attacks, and has watched others in the throes of them, I see the Psalmist overtaken by distress that leads to panic – that leads to desperate thoughts – but who survived. Because, for every thought of panic and distress he called out to God based on knowledge and experience of who He was and what He could do. Doing this didn’t change the fact that he was “oppressed and needy” nor did it give him an assurance of when God would act – but it did offer him an inner-calm and confidence to say –

… You are my helper and my deliverer –

Psalm 40:17