Our Compassionate God 上帝的怜悯
Dexu Xia
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes. Psalm 138:7
The winter night was cold when someone threw a large stone through a Jewish child’s bedroom window. A star of David had been displayed in the window, along with a menorah to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. In the child’s town of Billings, Montana, thousands of people—many of them believers in Jesus—responded to the hateful act with compassion. Choosing to identify with the hurt and fear of their Jewish neighbors, they pasted pictures of menorahs in their own windows.
As believers in Jesus, we too receive great compassion. Our Savior humbled Himself to live among us (John 1:14), identifying with us. On our behalf, He, “being in very nature God . . . made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:6–7). Then, feeling as we feel and weeping as we weep, He died on a cross, sacrificing His life to save ours.
Nothing we struggle with is beyond our Savior’s concern. If someone “throws rocks” at our lives, He comforts us. If life brings disappointments, He walks with us through despair. “Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar” (Psalm 138:6). In our troubles, He preserves us, stretching out His hand against both “the anger of [our] foes” (v. 7) and our own deepest fears. Thank You, God, for Your compassionate love.
In what areas of your life do you need God’s compassion? How can you show His care and love to others?
O God, I thank You for understanding my struggles and comforting me with loving care. Remind me always to share Your compassion with others.
我的仇敌发怒，祢必伸手抵挡他们。—诗篇138篇7节
在一个寒冷的冬夜里，有人故意抛掷一块大石头，砸破一个犹太小孩的卧室窗户。那个窗台摆设了大卫之星，以及犹太宗教仪式所用的烛台，表示这户人家正在庆祝哈努卡节，也就是光明节。这个小孩住在美国蒙大拿州的比灵斯城，当时城里有好几千人，包括许多基督徒，都以怜悯回应这充满仇恨的举动。他们对犹太邻居受到的伤害与恐惧感同身受，于是许多人都在自家的窗户贴上烛台的图片。
身为基督徒，我们也领受了极大的怜悯。这位救主自愿卑微地住在我们当中（约翰福音1章14节），祂对我们的处境感同身受。为着我们，“祂本有上帝的形象，……反倒虚己，取了奴仆的形象，成为人的样式”（腓立比书2章6-7节）。祂能体会我们的感受，与我们一同哀哭，甚至为了救赎我们，甘愿被钉死在十字架上。
这位救主顾念我们所有的伤痛。若有人对我们“抛掷石头”，祂必安慰我们；若我们对人生感到失望，祂必陪伴我们走出绝望。诗篇138篇6节说：“耶和华虽高，仍看顾低微的人；祂却从远处看出骄傲的人。”当我们陷在患难中，祂必保守我们，祂会伸手抵挡仇敌的怒气（7节），也会抚平我们最深的恐惧。上帝啊，感谢祢那怜悯大爱！
你生命中有哪些层面需要上帝的怜悯？
你如何以上帝的慈爱和关怀对待别人呢？
上帝啊，感谢祢了解我的伤痛，并以慈爱眷顾我，
使我得安慰，求祢帮助我也能以怜悯待人。