July 3, 2026

When people think of you what is the first thing they think about? Scary question if you consider it. When someone considers your name what are the qualities about you that first come to mind? I ponder this regularly when I meet with couples who are preparing to be married. One question I ask every couple is this: What one character trait do you most love and admire about your fiancé? In reply, I’ve heard the gamut of responses. From things that are very surface-level qualities to deep and intimate characteristics of a person’s heart. Things like, “hard worker,” “funny,” “deeply caring for others,” and “selfless.” But this always makes me think: For my wife, a good friend, or anyone… what words would they use to capture the person I am?

In Exodus 34 Yahweh gives a description of himself to Moses. Essentially, he’s stating: When you think of me… when you consider my name… these are things that describe me which I want you to recall. When you talk to me, listen to me, and share about me with others… when you’re feeling up or down, lonely or surrounded, excited or fearful… I want these qualities of my heart to be what you first think about.

Exodus 34:5-7

⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. ⁶ And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, ⁷ maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Compassionate and gracious. These are the first two words Yahweh uses to describe himself. We, then, should pay attention to these descriptors. The Hebrew and Greek words for compassion roughly mean to have mercy for, have pity on. In the English word we can see two words “com” meaning with and “passion” meaning suffer. Literally “to suffer with.” That’s God’s description of his character. He is a god who feels the pain of his creation and suffers with his people. That’s incredible intimacy! There is no other god who lowers himself to suffer with humanity. Other “gods” are too far removed from human suffering to dare experience it themselves. But the God of the Bible is compassionate. His heart suffers with his people. He walks with us through our pain, doubts, and questions. He understands our grief. God the Son came to earth to live among us and suffer for us through death on a cross. He feels the pain of life and the implications of sin in the world.

He is also gracious. Yahweh sees the suffering of our world and the hurt that our sin causes our lives and the lives of others. And he responds with grace. He offers grace where it isn’t deserved. He offers his graciousness when we deserve punishment, his withdrawal, hell. He experiences our suffering and his response is unearned grace, forgiveness, and a rescue plan through Christ.

Yahweh: Compassionate and gracious. This is how God describes himself. This is how he wants to be known, worshiped, and talked about. Do you know Yahweh like this? What practices of worship or prayer can you take up this week that will help you focus on God’s compassion for you? For others? What rhythms could you adopt into your life that would help you approach God daily with gratitude and thanksgiving for his graciousness? How could you make a habit of looking at each day and naming the ways in which God’s compassion and grace showed up in your life?

As we consider the One who is being itself, and grow in our understanding of who he is, you and I will be more in tune with his divine presence in each of us. We will learn to worship Yahweh for who is and who we need him to be and not as we would make him or wish him to be.

Worshipping,

Nathan

Nathan Hinkle

Lead Pastor

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