God Is Love, Therefore God Is Compassionate • DDCommunity

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Even a child can believe that God is love. But do we comprehend that God is compassionate as well? Because God is love, He is compassionate as well. One of my (Melanie) earliest childhood memories recalls pumping my legs passionately to swing to the clouds while singing, Yes, Jesus Loves Me. This elementary song saturated my soul, but even in adulthood, it is difficult to comprehend the depths of that simple truth.

God showed His great love.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 5:6–8 NLT

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? … No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35–39 NLT

God’s love is a fact.

The truth of God’s love is not just a fact; it becomes a reality when we can recognize that because God loves us, He cares about every area of our lives. Not only does He care, but He also understands our deepest struggles, and He desires to be the solution to our every problem.

This High Priest of ours [Jesus] understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testing we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:15–16 NLT

God’s compassion is a fact.

Erroneously we believe the deception that if God really does love us and really does care, He would make everything easy with smooth sailing. After all, how can crisis and tribulation be evidence of a loving God? But even God’s gift of love to us required grief, agony, and despair. God is love, and He is compassionate.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 NKJV

God’s love became relevant to me.

On a particularly desperate day, the simple fact of God’s love for me (Kirk) became a powerful, relevant truth. Surprisingly, submitting to lifetime ministry did not isolate us from crisis and tribulation. The fiery darts of the wicked one inundated us with unrelenting force. The battle was fierce. It was the kind of spiritual warfare that challenged every fiber of my being.

As I was driving en route to pay a bill, I looked up and said to God in the privacy of my truck, “Lord, I’m at my end. I think I’m finished. There is nothing left in me to carry on. I don’t have anything else to give.” I was beaten. Overall, I had no more stamina. No more ability to endure. But I was not depressed; I did not want to die. However, I was pressed beyond my measure to continue the fight. I was exhausted.

“God, . . . I am finished! I don’t know what will become of me or how I will continue into tomorrow. God, unless You do something, it’s over for me.” My prayer to God was as tired and devoid of emotion as it could have ever been and still be articulated. All I could do was look to God and say, “Please help me.”

God had me right where He wanted me.

God had me right where He wanted me. It was at this broken place I received from God the greatest gift I could ever have—His love! I have placed this event in the annals of the most significant experiences with God I have ever had. I realized God is love and He is compassionate

God’s Spirit opened my mind that day to all verses of Scripture, sermons, and songs I have ever read, preached, heard preached or sung, testifying to His great love for me. I began to be flooded with the love of Christ beyond anything I had ever known or thought was possible. His nurturing was powerful and tangible; I could feel His presence. As I was being cocooned within His love, the peace of God surpassed my understanding while I was serenaded by the very songs of how much He loves me. All my worries, my fears, my concerns for life, and how I would make it past today were enraptured in the vortex of His person. Consequently, I was now strengthened with His might. It was at this moment that I wanted nothing more than what God wanted for me.

I am truly loved by God.

Immediately I began to sob from the depths of my soul, the apathy now vanquished. My tears flowed in praise to my God, my Deliverer, my Lord and Savior, who really, truly loves me. God is love and He is compassionate. These tears of praise continued for hours. I sobbed until the sobbing could no longer be sustained. Then I would sob some more. That day I was rejuvenated by the hand of God and taught that I could live only through His power. It became clear to me: I must see Jesus as relevant to all areas of my life; I must understand that He cares about every area of my life. I have never forgotten this, nor have I ever been the same.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.“
Matthew 11:28–30 NLT

God is compassionate.

“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,
all you who remain in Israel.
I have cared for you since you were born.
Yes, I carried you before you were born.
I will be your God throughout your lifetime—
until your hair is white with age.
I made you, and I will care for you.
I will carry you along and save you.“
Isaiah 46:3–4 NLT

Prayer Pattern for approaching my loving, compassionate God

Jesus, You are our High Priest who can empathize with my weaknesses. You have been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet You did not sin. I approach Your throne of grace with confidence, so that I may receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need.
based on Hebrews 4:15–16

Insight Journal

Make an extensive list entitled “I know God loves me because…”

Excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis.

Available from your favorite book retailers, including Amazon and Redemption Press. (As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.)

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