Human beings are such complex creatures. From the way we develop in the womb to the process of learning and changing from children to adults to every system within our bodies, surely we are one of the most amazing parts of God's creation.
People often use various terms to distinguish between different aspects of our humanity: physical, spiritual, emotional, social, psychological, etc. Isn't it fascinating, though, how these different aspects intersect with one another?
When we are deeply impacted emotionally or even spiritually, we often notice it through some kind of physical experience. We cry or get chills or maybe our heart begins to beat faster. Aundi Kolber, author of Try Softer, says that one of her favorite verses in the Bible is John 11:35 - "Jesus wept." - because of the way it shows that Jesus physically experienced emotion.
My pastor once shared this quote by Charles Spurgeon: "If you would sum up the whole character of Christ in reference to ourselves, it might be gathered into this one sentence, 'He was moved with compassion.' " When I looked up this quote, I discovered more words used by Charles Spurgeon to explain the significance of this description of Jesus...
"[The original Greek word used for compassion] is expressive of the deepest emotion; a striving of the bowels-a yearning of the innermost nature with pity. I suppose that when our Saviour looked upon certain sights, those who watched him closely perceived that his internal agitation was very great, his emotions were very deep, and then his face betrayed it, his eyes gushed like founts with tears, and you saw that his big heart was ready to burst with pity for the sorrow upon which his eyes were gazing. He was moved with compassion. His whole nature was agitated with commiseration for the sufferers before him."
If what we read in Hebrews is true, that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, then He still feels this deep, "yearning of the innermost nature" for us. He loves us to the point of being moved toward us from that deep emotional place. Can we even comprehend a love so strong, so powerful?
Then let's consider how we're called to follow Jesus in this. It's kind of like two things are meant to be happening at the same time. As we keep opening ourselves to this incredibly powerful gut-level compassion from Jesus toward us, we can also direct that same kind of compassion toward other people. Of course we will likely never reach the depth of Jesus' love, but what a beautiful thing to be able to emulate, even a little.
I find myself wondering how this kind of compassion might be a part of our praying. What if we would allow ourselves to be moved with compassion, and one of our movements would be moving toward prayer? Maybe this sheds a new light on these words from Romans 8:26: "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Maybe those groanings parallel the kind of emotional response Charles Spurgeon described. One in which you see something or are made aware of something, and it impacts you so deeply that you feel it physically. Maybe we can join the Spirit in bringing those deep physical feelings out in prayer, even if just at times by groaning.
Let's pray that during this year's Serve-a-Thon, many who are serving will be "moved with compassion." And let's pray that the people who are being served might recognize that the source of the compassion they are experiencing is Jesus.
Pray with me...
... God, deepen our awareness of the compassion You have for each of us
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. Psalm 103:8
... Jesus, fill us with more of Your compassion and enable us to share it with those around us, on Serve-a-Thon day and beyond
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19
... Holy Spirit, fill our prayers with Your compassion and help us to pray in accordance with Your will
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18
Thanks for taking the time to read this blog and pray for Alliance Christian School District! Lord willing, I plan to publish a new blog post weekly throughout the school year. Feel free to subscribe (at the bottom of this page) if you'd like to be notified each time a new blog post has been published. We also have a prayer team that is always open for new pray-ers to join. If you'd like to learn more, email me at cwarner@alliancechristian.org.
~ Carrie Warner, ACSD Prayer Team Coordinator
Soli Deo Gloria
To God alone be the glory
