Compassion: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

                 

                Compassion

                Still she waits

                at peace in knowledge

                compassion will return

                not cruelty in suffering

                she alone responsible

                judgement necessary

                conducted by love's

                winnowing hope to

                prepare promises

                beyond comprehension.

Psalm 37:20: "But the wicked perish, and the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish--like smoke they vanish away."

Compassion: Purpose:Prayers and Poetry

     Compassion

     Practice what is seen

     and heard from the Spirit

     teaching us to repeat

     again and again

     a new language or

     new understanding

     able to look

     beyond surface chaos

     and walk in His

     Presence

Psalm 18:44, "As soon as they hear, they obey me; Foreigners submit to me."

Kingdom Manna

Tasks

Colossians 3:12, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”

“Dress for the job” is an unwritten motto in many businesses. Client relationships depend on good impressions and the apparel often sets the tone. A job applicant is wise who arrives for the interview clean, neat, and groomed.

Clothes mark us. Our choices reflect our color preferences, our style, our comfort. Certain jobs are designated by their uniform, badge or insignia. We are committed to respond in accordance with the position.

Definite garments were designed and made for the priests. Only those upon whose shoulders the duties lay could wear the special robes. Set apart for service. God requested His people be distinct. Easily identified.

Chosen by God to be clothed in His raiment. Robes of salvation. Robes of redemption. Robes of royalty. We are also asked to wear His mark. Spiritual imprints from the inside-out. Habits that see through our outer garments. We are commissioned to respond in accordance with the position.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 132:16

Its priests I will clothe with salvation, and its faithful will shout for joy.

Kingdom Manna

Tasks

Luke 10:36, “Which of these three do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”

Emergency vehicle lights flashed at the end of my driveway when I prepared to leave for a meeting. An ambulance stood open next door at my neighbor’s. There had been an ongoing serious situation for a few months so the medical assistance was not a shock but not welcome either. I was blocked in, and I looked at my watch.

“So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.”

Embarrassed I walked slowly back to the house. Trying to assuage my conscience with my lack of any remedy to offer, obvious personal support evidenced by several cars, facts that other neighbors were more in relationship. All true. All appropriate for the immediate moment. All irrelevant to my immediate response.

“…Show kindness and mercy to one another.”

Enlarge my capacity to extend compassion at all times Lord, not just when convenient to me both in time and attitude. Slow me down enough to connect with others where they are emotionally and not where I think they should be. Like You, give me a caring heart, not a critical evaluation.

“So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 145:9

The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.