WEEK 3 | MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE

Exodus 34:6-7

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

“A God merciful…”

God is both merciful and compassionate. Some translations have the word merciful, while others have the word compassionate. The Hebrew word here is Rakhum or Rehkem which actually translates to womb. In other words, God’s mercy and compassion are like that of a mother’s care for her infant.

God’s mercy and compassion is two fold

First… it makes us see that we have tremendous value. God is merciful and compassionate to us like a mother who will do anything for her infant. Think about it, new moms are protective, loving, a food source, and the place of comfort for a baby. God is the same way. We have tremendous value in His eyes. He has mercy for us like a parent does with their little child.

Second… by knowing that we are this loved and cared for, we are encouraged to show and share this same mercy and compassion for those around us. We are all children of God and made in His image. We need to get to a point where we see others the same way God see them; as Children with value that deserve mercy and compassion.

REFLECT | QUESTIONS

Read Isaiah 49:15-16 | Matthew 7:11 | Matthew 9:35-36 | Ephesians 4:32

  • How do these passages portray God’s compassion?

In what ways can you mirror God’s mercy and compassion in your life?

Guest User