Saturday, January 12, 2013

God's Compassion for You

I have been fretting and hurting over some things.  All night I had disturbing dreams.  I am up early and just now, as I sat at the breakfast table having my first cup of coffee and doing devotions, I heard a cow's mournful bellowing in the pre dawn as it echoed back and forth across the space behind our house.  It was distressing and inspired my prayers for its relief.

Surely when our cries of distress rise up to God - He pauses to listen - He hears - and His compassion is forthcoming.  We can rest assured that His compassion is more easily provoked than our own.

The troubles stealing my peace are hidden under the very shallow surface of self-composure - and do tirelessly seeth and boil tearing away old landmarks of complacency like a steady flow of freshly spewn lava, all the while depositing new terrain.

The cow is still bellowing unheard by its lazy owner.  She is left alone to deal with her misfortune.  I am left to wonder what has befallen her. 

I hear an answering sound - a cry very much like the first, yet further away and in response.  Proof of compassion IN a creature FOR a creature... like its Creator - built to respond.

When distressed, we cry out.  That cry invokes the response of the Creator and oftimes comes through a fellow sojourner.  It is no less proof of His care and concern because it comes through an unexpected channel.

L. B. Cowman (Streams in the Desert) says it like this:  "Onto the pages of every trial there are narrow shafts of light that shine.  Thorns will not prick you until you lean against them, and no one will touch you without God knowing.  The words that hurt you, the letter that caused you pain, the cruelty of your closest friend, your financial need - they are all known to Him.  He sympathizes as no one else can, and watches to see if through it all, you will dare to trust Him completely."

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