Healing the Brokenhearted 5 – a God of compassion

The aim of this devotional study of to reflect on God’s attitude to our brokenness and failures.

This 2min Sermon Jam of Matt Chandler will greatly enhance this study today.

Scripture

Isaiah 49:13-17

13  Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.

14  But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.”

15  “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. 16  Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. 17  Your builders make haste; your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.

Observations

God’s afflicted people are personified in this chapter by the broken state of the destroyed city of Jerusalem.

1. What do you learn about God’s character and attitude towards his broken people from this Text?
2. The Lord likens his comfort, compassion and attentiveness of his people to a nursing mother. Why can a nursing mother not forget her own baby?  What do does the Lord wish to convey about his relationship to his people?

Personal Reflection

Oftentimes we get frustrated by our own brokenness and weaknesses, and therefore think that God is impatient and frustrated with us because of these imperfections.

1. Jot down your own most prominent habitual flaws and brokenness. In simple words describe that to yourself.
2. Reflecting on this Text, how do you expect God to relate to your brokenness and flaws?
3. Would the God described in this Text give up on you and walk away from you because of your imperfections? What would God rather do?

Application and Prayer

Hebrews 4:15-16

15  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  16  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

1. Follow the counsel of this portion to the broken, fickle congregation of Hebrews
   1. Approach God with confidence, with shame and no fear of rejection, and state your brokenness to him.
   2. Ask for mercy for your (habitual) imperfections and shortcomings, because Jesus knows what you are going through.
   3. Ask for grace (help) to restore ad heal your brokenness.
2. Consider someone you know whose brokenness manifests in some destructive pattern.
   1. Approach God on his/her behalf and appeal for mercy (forgiveness) and grace (help), because Jesus knows what he/she is going through.

The Blessed Life 5

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect on the rewards the righteous – of those who fear the Lord.

Scripture

Psalms 103:8-18

8  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  9  He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.  10  He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

11  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;  12  as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.  13  As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

14  For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.  15  As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16  for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.

17  But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18  to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

Observations

Note: To fear the Lord means to live with the knowledge that God is our creator and judge, and therefore we his servants who live according to His will and depart from evil (See Eccl 12:13-14; Psalm 34:11-14, Proverbs 3:7; 8:13)

1. Psalm 103 calls us to bless the Lord and remember the goodness of God towards us.  Summarize in one phrase what the Psalm tells of God in each of the following segments:

• Verses 8-10
• Verses 11-13
• Verses 14-16
• Verses 17v18

2. What does this Psalm tell of the Lord’s special treatment of those who fear him? (v11-13, 17-18)

Reflection

1. Verses 13-14 reads like this: “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”

• Love can be translated as “deliberate attention and action for the good of the receiver”. According to this definition, does a father give more love or less love to his son who struggles in life?  Why?
• Why does the Father show compassion to those who fear Him in these verses? Answer in your own words.
• Sometimes we feel that God may love us less because we struggle or fail in His holy standards.  What does this Psalm say to people who feel like that – people who want to please God in holy living?

Prayer and Confession

Do you fear the Lord?  Pray a prayer of confession and thanksgiving over yourself from this Psalm

• Praise God with the truth of His character and ability according to this Psalm
• Confess what God promises to you and what he feels about you.
• Thank God for his merciful goodness towards you.

BS1 The Blessed Life 4

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect on the definition and blessedness of those who fear God.

Scripture

Psalms 34:7-16

7  The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.  8  Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

9  Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!  10  The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11  Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.  12  What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?  13  Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 14  Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

15  The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. 16  The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Observations

1. From this Psalm define in your own words what it means in practice to fear of the Lord. (v11-13)
2. List the blessings of those who fear the Lord in your own words (v7-15).

Reflection and Prayer

1. This Psalmist wrote to inspire and instruct the hearer to fear the Lord. Reading this definition (v11-14) would you say that you live with the fear of the Lord?  Why / why not?  Reflect on your tongue, your behavior, and your relationships – and pray where there Lord needs to instill His fear in you.
2. What needs do you have in your life? James says “you have not because you ask not” (4:2).  With thanksgiving, pray boldly through the promises in this Psalm, including:

• Protection,
• Provision,
• Long life,
• Goodness,
• God’s attentive eye and ear.

The Blessed Life 3

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect on the rewards the righteous – of those who fear the Lord.

Scripture

Psalms 112:1-4

1  Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2  His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3  Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.  4  Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.

Observations

Note: To fear the Lord means to live with the knowledge that God is our creator and judge, and therefore we his servants who live according to His will and depart from evil (See Ecclesiastes  12:13-14; Psalm 34:11-14, Proverbs 3:7; 8:13)

1. According to verse one, what do we learn of “the man who fears the Lord”? Why would that be characteristic of such a person? (See the definition above).
2. List the blessings reserved for those who fear the Lord (verses 2-4). Then explain what you understand by each of those phrases.
3. What are the characteristics of “the man who fears God” according to the second halfof verse 4?

Reflection

1. As a New Testament believer, do you usually read the Bible and see commands that God and his Son Jesus gives?

• How do you relate to those commands – more like suggestions to guide you, or like clear instructions to be obeyed? [note: try to distinguish here between what you KNOW to be true and what you DO or FEEL].
• How do you understand God feels about the commands he writes in the Bible – such as those contained in Matthew 5-6?

2. How do you feel about the promise in this Psalm that “Wealth and riches are in [the] house [of him that fears the Lord”?

• Why do you think God can trust a man who fears him with possessions? (hint: look at the definition on one who fears God in the previous section]
• Do you believe that God delights to prosper you?

Prayer

In Isaiah 11:2 the Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.”  Spend some time and pray that God will give you a greater knowledge and fear of Him through the revelation by His Holy Spirit.  And then boldly ask God to bless you as promised in Psalm 112.

The Blessed Life 2

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect on the rewards of those who fear God.

Scripture

Psalms 25:8-14

8  Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.  9  The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way.  10  All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

11  For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12  Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. 13  He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. 14  The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.

Observation

Note: To fear the Lord means to live with the knowledge that God is our creator and judge, and therefore we his servants who live according to His will and depart from evil (See Eccl 12:13-14; Psalm 34:11-14, Proverbs 3:7; 8:13)

1. What does the “good and upright Lord” do with sinners according to verse 8?
2. Verse 9 qualifies the disposition/ attitude of those who are taught by the Lord – which sinners does he teach?
3. Comparting verses 9 and 12, what link do learn about the fear of the Lord?
4. List the blessings reserved for those who fear the Lord (verses 12-14). Then explain what you understand by each of those phrases.

Reflection and Prayer

In verse 14 the Psalmist promises “the secret of the Lord is with those who fear him.”  The ESV renders the translation “friendship with the Lord is for those who fear him.”  Would you say that God regards you as friend and trusts you with the secrets and plans on his heart?  How do you feel about the fact that God wants to befriend you in that way?  Talk to God about that now!