when he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them....

 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless,

 like sheep without a shepherd. 

 Matthew 9:35 (ESV)

I then thought about God's love for me and my family. How I know very little about the intensity of God's love for me.

It was the great reformer Martin Luther who said: "the slender capacity of man's heart cannot comprehend, much less utter, that unsearchable depth and burning zeal of God's love towards us."

I read Morning and Evening on 3/4 and was challenged. "My grace is sufficient for you." -

and evening - The abundance of grace He provides- 

how much grace He supplies, for each day . and many years, and generation to generation

The Compassion of Jesus

by Charles Spurgeon (excerpt)

"SOME OF THE FORESIGHTS OF HIS COMPASSION.
The Lord has gone from us, but as he knew what would happen while he was away, he has, with blessed forethought, provided for our wants. Well he knew that we should never be able to preserve the truth pure by tradition. That is a stream that always muddies and defiles everything. So in tender forethought he has given us the consolidated testimony, the unchangeable truth in his own Book; for he was moved with compassion............ He is moved with compassion for you. For where a man cannot go, the Book can go, and where in silence no voice is heard, the still clear voice of this blessed Book can reach the heart. Because he knew the people would require this sacred teaching, and could not have it otherwise, he was moved with compassion towards us all, and gave us the blessed Book of inspired God-breathed Scripture."

"The compassion of the Master making up for all the abuses of his enemies. And, believe me, there is nothing sweeter to a forlorn and broken spirit than the fact that Jesus has compassion. Are any of you sad and lonely? Have any of you been cruelly wronged? Have you lost the goodwill of some you esteemed? Do you seem as if you had the cold shoulder even from good people? Do not say, in the anguish of your spirit, "I am lost," and give up. He hath compassion on you. Nay, poor fallen woman, seek not the dark river and the cold stream—he has compassion. He who looks down with the bright eyes of yonder stars and watches thee is thy friend. He yet can help thee. Though thou hast gone so far from the path of virtue, throw not thyself away in blank despair, for he hath compassion. And thou, broken down in health and broken down in fortune, scarcely with shoe to thy feet, thou art welcome in the house of God, welcome as the most honoured guest in the assembly of the saints. Let not the weighty grief that overhangs thy soul tempt thee to think that hopeless darkness has settled thy fate and foreclosed thy doom. Though thy sin may have beggared thee, Christ can enrich thee with better riches. He hath compassion. "Ah!" say you, "they will pass me on the stairs; they will give me a broad pathway, and if they see me in the street they will not speak to me—even his disciples will not." Be it so; but better than his disciples, tenderer by far, is Jesus. Is there a man here, whom to associate with were a scandal from which the pure and pious would shrink?; the holy, harmless, undefiled one will not disdain even him—for this man receiveth sinners—he is a friend of publicans and sinners. He is never happier than when he is relieving and retrieving the forlorn, the abject, and the outcast. He despises not any that confess their sins and seek his mercy. No pride nestles in his dear heart, no sarcastic word rolls off his gracious tongue, no bitter expression falls from his blessed lips. He still receives the guilty. Pray to him now. Now let the silent prayer go up, "My Saviour, have pity upon me; be moved with compassion towards me, for if misery be any qualification for mercy, I am a fit object for thy compassion. Oh! save me for thy mercy's sake!" Amen." (CHS)

God is faithful, he is our hope. He has changed our hearts and has broken through our despair. He has allowed our children, the next generation, to be called out of darkness, and full of faith declare the compassion of Christ. He has paid the greatest price, He has proven His great love and we will praise Him with our lives!

He is Faithful- Bryan and Katie Torwalt
©Bryan and Katie Torwalt 

I have heard a sound, coming on the wind
Changing hearts and minds, healing brokenness
I feel a generation, breaking through despair
I hear a generation, full of faith declare

pre-chorus And our song it will be, out of the darkness we will rise and sing

chorus: He is faithful, He is glorious,
He is Jesus, and all my hope is in Him
He is freedom, He is healing right now,
He is hope and joy, love and peace and life

I have seen a light, like the break of dawn
Giving blind men sight, and letting lame men walk
I see a generation, with resurrection life
We are a generation, filled with the power of Christ

bridge He has paid the highest price,
He has proven his great love for us
We will praise him with our lives,
and proclaim our love for Him