DAY 18 | The Compassionate God

For the LORD your God is El Rachum (The Compassionate God). He will not abandon you, destroy you, or forget the promise to your ancestors that he swore he would keep.
Deuteronomy 4:31

Pronunciation Reference: אֵל רַחוּם

photography by Meric Dagli / calligraphy by Rita Ip

MUSIC

PRAYER

The Compassionate God, I praise You, for You are eternally filled and moved with compassion. You delight in showing mercy, drawing near to the brokenhearted, strengthening the weak, and refreshing the weary.

I am deeply grateful for Your redemption plan, as it serves as the ultimate expression of Your divine compassion.

Please forgive me if I ever abuse Your mercy or take it for granted. Forgive me when my heart becomes hardened and I withhold sympathy from others. Forgive me when I judge who does or doesn't deserve compassion based on my own terms.

Lord, I am living in a hurting world, surrounded by broken individuals. I pray that You would clothe me in genuine compassion, which goes beyond fleeting emotional responses and becomes a steadfast commitment to manifest Your love through my actions.

Because You are The Compassionate God, I declare that the same compassion that moved Jesus to die for the undeserving will also drive me to engage in acts of compassion.

A few facts…

El Rachum (אֵל רַחוּם) is commonly translated into English as "The Compassionate God" or "The Merciful God".
Rachum (רַחוּם) means "compassion" or "mercy". Its root is Racham (רחם), which means "womb", the organ in which a fetus is protected and nourished, symbolizing maternal care and fertility.
When the Bible uses El Rachum to describe God, it conveys a profound love that arises from a natural and innate bond, much like the love experienced during the process of childbirth.

SMILE & BREATHE

In your quiet place, sit comfortably. Relax and welcome His presence.

Smile, His mercy flows like a river from the highest place into the lowest parts of your life.

Take a deep breath into your abdomen, imagining yourself receiving His grace and mercy.

Hold your breath for a few seconds, responding with gratitude to His mercy, which is not dependent on your performance or worth.

Slowly exhale from your mouth, taking longer than the inhale, releasing any brokenness or negative emotions from within.

Exercise 1:

TWO-WAY JOURNALING

Today, let us direct our thoughts and words toward The Compassionate God. What is in your heart that you would like to ask or tell Him? Let us pray that He will quiet your soul, drown out the noise around you, and guide you to His heart. Capture your conversation with Him in the pages of your journal.

[Part 1]
Dear Father / The Compassionate God, …
[Part 2]
Dear child / (your name), …

• Recount your own experience of His compassion.

• Talk to Him about situations or areas that need a touch or an outpouring of His compassion.

• Ask Him how you may feel His compassion for yourself and others.

• Ask Him to reveal to you someone who needs your act of kindness.

Check out Appendix 2 for more.

Exercise 2:

DECLARATION

He is The Compassionate God, characterized by His patient nature and overflowing love. Consider the significance of this in your present life. Take a moment to reflect and pen your declaration in your journal.

Because You are The Compassionate God, I declare I can / I will / I am…

Once you have crafted your declaration, read it aloud to God and yourself. Repeat it several times, embracing each word with deliberation and certainty. Let your proclamation resound as if it were already a reality. Allow your heart to align with your declaration, moving beyond any doubts and firmly establishing yourself in a position of faith.

This completes Day 18 of HE. Thank you for joining me. Today, my heartfelt prayer is that His love and compassion will continuously touch, transform, and leave a lasting mark on your life.