The Backbone Of His Character

December 15
From the Old Testament to the New, the Lord’s compassion is asserted as a ‘given.’ It is the backbone, so to speak, of His character. From His compassion spring His mercy, His generosity, His provision, His love. The entirety of the plethora of blessings that flow from His loving hand to mankind springs from His compassion.

In the Old Testament, He led His people out of bondage in Egypt and brought them safely across the Red Sea to freedom (Exodus, Chapters 14-16), In the New Testament, we see the unfolding of the most amazing story ever told—of God becoming a Man in order to redeem mankind from his sinful state (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

Though His compassion is demonstrated a thousand times in a thousand ways, it is always the tale of God’s loving heart doing what is needful, providing the grace, the mercy, the compassion, the love that will set man free from the awful bondage to slavery that he imposed upon himself in the garden (Genesis, Chapter 3). In Psalms 145:8, David states it thusly:

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate; He is slow to anger and rich in love.” In James 5:11, Jesus’ half-brother affirms, “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” From the beginning of the story to the end, the One who made us states His compassion for us over and over again. The great truth He wants us to glean from His message is that His love will never fail.