Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional “Infinite Compassion” for Monday, 3 November 2014 - Matthew 11:28-30

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional “Infinite Compassion” for Monday, 3 November 2014 - Matthew 11:28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.(Luke 12:6 (NRSV))
My elderly husband’s eyesight was deteriorating, and my own responsibilities as caregiver were increasing. I began to feel completely overlooked. I understood that my husband was at the forefront of everyone’s concerns, but on one particular day I felt I was regarded only as an attachment to him rather than a person in my own right.
In my daily Bible reading and prayers that night, I didn’t ask for any help from God. However as I was falling asleep, the thought came to me: Jesus values me as no one else does. He knows me personally and loves me. I had been taught this most of my life, yet only at this moment did the thought really hit home. It was so comforting and empowering and came at a time when I most needed strength to cope with the challenges ahead.
Looking back, I marvel at God’s generosity in restoring my feelings of confidence and self-worth. God knew my needs and helped me before I even asked.
Because God is boundlessly compassionate to us, we can show compassion to those around us. We can rely on God’s Spirit to guide and direct us in what we say and do.
The Author: Margaret Elizabeth Gregory (Hertfordshire, England)
Thought for the Day: All the kindness we give or receive shows God’s compassion.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to feel your compassion for us each day. Make us sensitive to the needs of others, whether spoken or unspoken. Amen.
Prayer focus: Caregivers
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