Richard Maisenbacher

Isaiah 54:10, “For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken, says the Lord who has compassion on you.”

Will the Lord continue to be compassionate with us and for how long? Isaiah says until the entire order of the universe is overthrown and then it will still continue. God is saying that it is more difficult to imagine the destruction of everything, than it is to imagine that I will not be compassionate!

God’s compassion is who He is. Compassionate is the Hebrew word rachum meaning God is merciful and forgiving. Merciful is someone who does not punish us even though we may deserve it. Forgiving is someone who pays the price we owe so that we can go free. Being compassionate is not about feeling sorry about someone or sharing empathy with them. It is about action. It’s about doing something that will change the situation. Even though at times we all have probably questioned the Lord’s compassion, based on what the world looks like or what has transpired in our own lives - He remains merciful and long suffering.

It is important for us as Believers to understand that we have walked into a covenant love relationship with the Lord who is very relational. He is the one who leads the covenant and desires intimacy. God has compassionately given us written directions in His Word to help us navigate life while walking in covenant with Him.

Because there is a covenant exchange process taking place, we are experiencing things that He would experience if He were in our shoes. During this time He exchanges our ungodly character for His character. We don’t have to preform to get it, He changes us into the image of Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit. It is the process of transformation! As we conform more to His image we begin to act out of His nature and respond to His directions. We look more like Him. Compassion toward others is one of those characteristics because His compassion toward us and others will never leave.

Since He is exchanging and transforming us, would you describe yourself as compassionate? If so, then be joyous and give thanks!!

In His Covenant Love,