03- A God Full of COMPASSION and MERCY

A God Full of COMPASSION and MERCY How different is the Lord’s revelation - to the convinced sinner’s expectation!

He apprehends wrath - but he hears of love!

He fears punishment - but he is informed of pardon!

He asks, Can the Lord be gracious to such a sinner? And behold! Jehovah proclaims himself, "a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." Psalms 86:15. What delightful tidings are these, that Jehovah has . . . a fullness of compassion, the affection of a tender parent, the sympathy of the kindest friend!

He pities our weakness - and listens to our feeble cries. He needs nothing in the creature to move him, for he has a fullness of compassion in himself. To this, the sinner may appeal, and will find him to be his friend. Can a God full of compassion turn away from the needy soul; or, refuse to receive the wretched and undone? Impossible! He will . . . receive you graciously, love you freely, and will be glorified in pardoning, accepting and saving you forever.

O poor backsliding brother or sister - fear not to approach the throne of your dishonored God! He is full of compassion, and he has pledged himself in his word, to receive you and deal well with you. Read the parable of the prodigal - there the heart of God is opened, there his conduct is portrayed. There as in a mirror, you may see how it will be with you - when you take with you words, and return unto the Lord. Do not believe Satan’s libels upon the character of your God - but receive his own testimony, confirmed as it is, by the witness of thousands of backsliders who are now safely housed in Heaven! This view of Jehovah is comforting to us all. To know that he is compassionate, that he will have mercy; that he is "full of compassion," and "full of mercy" - ought to silence our fears and disperse our misgivings. Can a fullness of compassion be unkind? Can a merciful God, be anything but our friend? True, we may find it difficult to reconcile this revelation of his character, with some of his mysterious dealings; but this is on account of our ignorance and blindness. The day is coming, when we shall see that there was mercy in every trial, and compassion in every cross! This declaration of Jehovah’s tenderness and benignity, will shine forth with the luster of a thousand suns; and we shall wonder at our ignorance, ingratitude and folly!

Jehovah is always "full of compassion ... and mercy." Let this truth sink down into our hearts. He is Jehovah and changes not - therefore "we are not consumed." Compassion ever reigns in his heart, and rules his conduct towards his poor, dependent, tried, and afflicted people. As his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel in the days of old - so is he touched with the feelings of our infirmities now. His affections are stirred for every mourning Ephraim, and he will have mercy upon all who seek his grace. His mercy is . . . full and boundless - an overflowing fountain; as free as the air, as tender as a mother’s heart, and as worthy of Jehovah’s name. His mercy may be . . . trusted without fear, adored without idolatry, and enjoyed without regret. To its fullness - the guilty are invited; of its streams - the fearful may take; and by its efficacy - the vilest are saved! His mercy has . . . tenderness to encourage the sickly, plenty to suit the needy, and power to invigorate the strengthless and faint.

It is the mercy and compassion of the God who is infinite, incomprehensible, and eternal. His mercy is in exercise toward all who heartily desire to enjoy its benefits, and are made willing to depend upon its promised provision. The Lord is good, full of compassion, and gracious. My Father knows my feeble frame;

He knows how poor a worm I am;

He knows, he knows it all. The least temptation serves to draw My footsteps from his holy law, And make me slide and fall. Of this I give him daily proof, And yet he does not cast me off; But owns me still as his.

He spares, he pities, he forgives, The most rebellious child that lives So great his goodness is. And shall I thence a pretext draw, Again to violate his law? My soul revolts at this!

I’ll love, and wonder, and adore, And beg that I may sin no more Against such love as his!

O love divine, to you I owe Ten thousand praises here below, And everlasting songs!

O take my body, spirit, soul, Claim, and possess, and use the whole, To you the whole belongs.