WEDNESDAY February 1, 2017
Compassion Brings Revival
…hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. - Nehemiah 1:6
In our introduction to the book of Nehemiah, I had mentioned how Nehemiah cared for the people. It is important to fully understand what transpired through Nehemiah’s heart of compassion. Through his compassion God brought about a revival among His people.
Nehemiah was a man well acquainted with God’s character. Historically He knew how God showed compassion towards His people in their past:
…in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, to lead them on the road; nor the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way they should go. You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst…(Nehemiah 9:19-20).
Before God starts a new work, he will choose a person who has compassion for people––through this person God can begin the work of a true revival. God will raise up a compassionate man and place a burden on his heart––a call to do a special task in ministry.
God will use a person to build His Church if they are compassionate towards His people. If you really do not care about God’s people or the kingdom of God, He will use somebody else. Is compassion a lacking quality in your Christian character? If so, do an in-depth study of God’s compassion found in the Scriptures. Humbly ask the Lord to give you a heart of compassion. Then God will use you to build His kingdom.
Throughthe Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.
~Lamentations 3:22-23~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!