Today we’re going to back to our notes from Day 22. We’ve seen why God hasn’t dealt with us as our sins deserve. His steadfast love is bigger than our sins.
Now let’s look at the next for in the psalm.
Assignment: Pray as you start your study. Ask God to help you believe and remember that Jesus has cancelled the debt for your sin, and ask Him to help you continue to learn from this psalm.
- Then go back to your notes from Day 22. We were recording the appearances of the word for in Psalm 103. Verse 14 should be the second verse you listed.
- Go back and read verse 13. This verse tells us that God shows compassion to those who fear Him, like a father shows compassion to his child. So verse 14 is explaining why God shows compassion.
Why does He?
- Open Blueletterbible and search on Psalm 103:14. Let’s do some quick word study. Use the Interlinear tool to look at the first words in the verse, if you have time. We’re going to focus on the word dust for this lesson.
- Click on that we are dust. Note the definitions in your notebook.
- Then scroll down to “Concordance Results Using KJV”. Skim these verses. There’s a bunch of them. Read as many as you can. If you’re really limited on time, focus on verses from Genesis, Job, and Psalms.
- As you read through these verses, note any insights you gain. How is the word used? How does the word relate to man? (Job 19:25 jumped off the screen at me after studying this psalm and meditating on the blessing of being redeemed from the pit. Beautiful words from a man in the depths of suffering and pain, “For I know that my Redeemer liveth…” Knowing that — really believing it — can carry us through the hardest of times!)
- When you’ve finished reading the verses, look back over your notes. Summarize what you have learned about dust. God has compassion on us because He knows our frame and remembers we are dust.
God ought to know. He made Adam from the dust of the ground. He framed us in our mother’s womb. He knows our bodies will return to the dust. He lived among us in all our dustiness, and was tempted in the same ways we are. He remembers that we are dust, even when we busily forget and push ourselves beyond what is good for us, or when we expect far more from ourselves than is realistic or even kind.
He understands.
He’s for us, not against us.
He has compassion for us. He knows we are weak, and patiently teaches us right where we are.
We need to remember this and gives thanks! And we need to learn from God’s example!
What can we learn from God’s compassion toward us?
Aren’t our children dust, just like we are?
- Do they need our understanding and compassion at times when we, in our own dusty condition, would rather just “fix” them and move on to the next load of laundry?
- Would it encourage our children if we were more humble in our dealings with them, admitting our own weaknesses and praying together with them as fellow brothers and sisters (“fellow dust-men”) in Christ?
- Do they need more compassion and less law from us? This is difficult — much harder than just woodenly dealing with sin in a one-size-fits-all fashion. A godly balance of mercy and truth requires wisdom. And prayer. And patience. It means looking to God for guidance instead of relying on our own “wisdom” (or on the “wisdom” of secular psychology).
As you love and train your children today, keep God’s compassion — both for you and for your children – in mind. Ask God to help you show that kind of compassion to your children.
For your children:
Read Psalm 103:13-14 aloud together. Then discuss the verses.
Why does God show compassion to us?
Why do parents show compassion to their children?
Spend some time talking about what they think that kind of compassion looks like. How do their parents show compassion to them? How would they like their parents to show compassion to them? Are all their ideas actually compassionate, or are some simply indulgent, and not actually loving? Talk about this. It should be a good discussion! Be open to learning from their suggestions. 