Inspirational Article From Joanne Lowe Index of Writings by Joanne Lowe on Gospel Web

A COMPASSIONATE HEART

“For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not; yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

Psalm 78: 37 – 39 King James Version

I was listening to a singer on a gospel show on television yesterday. She was singing one of my favorite songs. In the middle of her song a lady in the audience got up and came to the stage and stood in front of her. She stopped singing, went over and put her arms around the woman and held her while she wept. This gospel singer has a heart full of compassion. She knew that comforting and encouraging someone who was hurting was more important than finishing her song. She wasn’t afraid of what people would think of her and she didn’t feel sad because she didn’t get to finish her song. Thank God for people who are full of compassion.

Several years ago when I was in a church service, I felt an overwhelming tug from the Holy Spirit to go and kneel at the altar. The pastor was still preaching but I could not stay in my seat another minute. I went and knelt at the altar. The pastor kept preaching. Within five minutes, the altar was packed with people who had come and knelt there. The pastor stopped preaching and said the sermon was over because God had taken charge of the service. That pastor had compassion for the ones who were kneeling at the altar.

I was in another service when I lived in Oklahoma when the organist stopped playing during the invitation time and went and knelt at the altar. That made a lasting impression on me. I was just starting to step out in trust and follow Jesus. My first thought was this lady knows that keeping our hearts right with God is the most important thing in the world. This lady wanted to make her heart right with Him. She knew that going to kneel at the altar was more important than finishing the song.

How many of us can honestly say that our hearts are in right standing with Him? Do we have anything in our hearts that displeases Him? When we hear someone cursing and using His precious name in those terrible words, are our hearts filled with compassion for Jesus? Do we hurt when He hurts? Do we cry when He cries? Are our hearts sad because people reject Him? I wonder how many of us have ever said to Jesus “I’m sorry You’re hurting. It hurts me when You hurt”. O that we would come to realize that Jesus has feelings and He too needs hugs of compassion.

Joanne Lowe

April 15, 2007

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