The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works (Psalm 145:8-9). The Lord upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:14-16).
Years ago the Lord used these verses to renew my mind to His true disposition towards me. Being raised in a denominational church, I had the idea that God was harsh, vindictive, angry, and demanding. Who wants to have an intimate relationship with someone who doesn’t like them?
This word gracious means ready to show favors. Instead of being angry and harsh I found that the Father wants to help me in life. He’s not looking for a way to harm me, He’s actively looking for ways to bless. God is our refuge and fortress; s very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
He is full of compassion. According to Webster’s Dictionary, compassion is sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress, together with a desire to alleviate it. The Father understands what I’m dealing with in life, and has a desire to alleviate that which produces pain in me. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus comes to bring us life to the fullest.
The Father is slow to anger. He wants us to make it! He does not want us to be judged, so He allows us to take advantage of opportunities to repent and reconcile when we sin. When judgment does come, it is only after much delay.
The Lord is great in mercy. Webster says that mercy is compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power. Mercy is when I don’t get what I do deserve. The Father’s mercy is great!
The Father’s disposition towards you today is that He desires to help you, favor you, forgive you when you sin, and to act in forbearance when you slip up and sin.
Getting to know the Father is the greatest privilege anyone could have. Don’t allow you personal bias to keep you away from Him. He loves you and is right now reaching out in benevolence and love to be a very present help in time of trouble!