“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. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments.” Psalm 103:13-18
Devotional Thought For The Day
Imagine a father teaching his daughter how to ride a bike, or teaching his son how to throw and catch a baseball. The father hopefully understands the limitations and weaknesses of his children, and does all that he can to patiently train them. Hopefully he also knows that in the development years young people are just not able to do things that most adults are capable of. If we are wise, we will also recognize that not everyone can do certain things, that God gives different gifts and abilities to people so that we are not all the same, and no one can master all things. This adds to the joy of life, the diversity of God’s creative gifts given to us, so that we are interdependent. Recently there have been a number of shows on cable chronicling the lives of “mountain men” and “bush people” and “swamp people.” All of these people take pride in being self-reliant and self-sufficient, able to survive on their own. Yet in all of the programs it is remarkable just how much help they require from others.
The LORD knows everything, especially our weaknesses and foibles and frailties. “He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.” We have compassion on our children, especially on their weaknesses. If hiking and our child becomes weary, we give them a piggy-back ride. How can we think that the LORD is not even more compassionate, caring, patient, kind, gentle, and encouraging than we are? He knows how short and transient all human life is – that we are like the flower of the field, here today, gone tomorrow, and likely not remembered for long. We need to reflect upon this, for though we can grow impatient and irritated and harsh toward others, sometimes even our loved ones, we should not project these same deficiencies upon our Heavenly Father. His steadfast love is perfect, and is eternal – “from everlasting to everlasting.” We need to think carefully and deeply about this, for our fallen nature assumes that God is like us, but in fact His thoughts and ways are not like ours but far above ours. This is especially true in regard to His love for us.
Twice in these few verses the psalmist attaches these assurances to those who “fear Him,” and also to those “who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments.” Often people present this just as our sinful nature thinks of it, that “fear” of God is being afraid and terrified of Him, and that “keeping” His covenant and doing His commandments is perfection. But if this is what the psalmist meant, and what God wills for us to think and believe, then why the emphasis on God’s steadfast and eternal love for us, His compassion and kindness, His mercy and forgiveness? What need would there be of forgiveness and mercy if we were perfect? And what kind of love is it that attaches conditions and rewards only those who first serve God, and serve Him perfectly? And in that these same Scriptures repeatedly assert that no one is perfect, why would God make promises only to those who are perfect? No, this is the same blind error of the Pharisees, who simply couldn’t grasp the nature of God’s gracious love, that Jesus came not only to save sinners but to continue in fellowship with them
This is the nature of true and genuine “fear” of God, that we properly know and believe His love for us, that we rejoice in His gracious forgiveness and salvation. This is His covenant that He wills for us to “keep,” to hold on to in faith. [Jer. 31:31-34] And all who keep this covenant of God’s gracious love, mercy, and forgiveness in Christ Jesus, by trusting in His Word and promise in regard to what Jesus has accomplished for us, experience the depth of His great love for us. And like children, we continue to be trained in His will, His commandments, so that in time we remember them and we remember to do them. Not perfectly, never perfectly in this life, but we are growing and learning and increasing in love as we continue to live in God’s love [2 Thess. 3:5; 1 Jn. 4:19].
We have not only great benefits as members of God’s kingdom, our Boss is fully compassionate and supportive of us in our weaknesses [Heb. 4:15,16]. Let us contemplate these things, so that we grow in faith, in genuine “fear” of God, in love, in remembering to do His loving and compassionate will toward others, and in our worship and praise of the LORD! Then His gracious righteousness is passed on for generations, to “children’s children,” as they too keep His covenant in faith.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, continue to patiently forgive our lack of faith, trust, and understanding of Your love. Help us to not be harder on ourselves and others than You are, but to grow in Your compassion for the weaknesses of human beings. Remind us to reflect Your gracious forgiveness and mercy to others, especially our loved ones. Life in this world is short, but love is precious and eternal, and all who abide in Your love will live forever. Grant us this blessedness. Amen.