“Look! This Is Our God”

The information discussed in these two study articles is based on the book Draw Close to Jehovah, which was released at the district conventions that were held around the world during 2002/03.​—See the article “It Filled a Void in My Heart,” on page 20.

“Look! This is our God. We have hoped in him, and he will save us. This is Jehovah.”​—ISAIAH 25:9.

1, 2. (a) How did Jehovah refer to the patriarch Abraham, and what might this cause us to wonder about? (b) How does the Bible assure us that a close relationship with God is within reach?

“MY FRIEND.” That is how Jehovah, the Creator of heaven and earth, referred to the patriarch Abraham. (Isaiah 41:8) Just imagine​—a mere human enjoying a friendship with the Sovereign Lord of the universe! You may wonder, ‘Is it possible for me to be that close to God?’

² The Bible assures us that a close relationship with God is within reach. Abraham was granted such closeness because he “put faith in Jehovah.” (James 2:23) Today, too, Jehovah’s “intimacy is with the upright ones.” (Proverbs 3:32) At James 4:8, the Bible urges us: “Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.” Clearly, if we take steps to draw close to Jehovah, he will respond. Indeed, he will draw close to us. But do these inspired words mean that we​—sinful, imperfect humans—​take the first step? Not at all. Intimacy with Jehovah is possible only because our loving God has taken two important steps.​—Psalm 25:14.

 3. Jehovah has taken what two steps to make it possible for us to enjoy a friendship with him?

³ First, Jehovah arranged for Jesus “to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matthew 20:28) That ransom sacrifice makes it possible for us to be close to God. The Bible states: “As for us, we love, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) Yes, since God “first loved us,” he laid the foundation for us to enter into friendship with him. Second, Jehovah has revealed himself to us. In any friendship we forge, the bond is based on truly knowing the other person, admiring and valuing his distinctive traits. Consider what this means. If Jehovah were a hidden, unknowable God, we could never be close to him. Yet, far from concealing himself, Jehovah wants us to come to know him. (Isaiah 45:19) In his Word, the Bible, he reveals himself in terms we can comprehend​—proof not only that he loves us but that he wants us to know and love him as our heavenly Father.

 4. How will we feel about Jehovah as we get to know his qualities better?

⁴ Have you ever seen a small child point out his father to his friends and then say with innocent joy and pride, “That’s my daddy”? God’s worshipers have every reason to feel similarly about Jehovah. The Bible foretells a time when faithful people will exclaim: “Look! This is our God.” (Isaiah 25:8, 9) The more insight we gain into Jehovah’s qualities, the more we will feel that we have the best Father and the closest Friend imaginable. Yes, grasping Jehovah’s qualities gives us many reasons for drawing closer to him. So let us examine how the Bible reveals Jehovah’s cardinal attributes​—power, justice, wisdom, and love. In this article, we will discuss the first three of these qualities.

“Exalted in Power”

 5. Why is it fitting that Jehovah alone is called “the Almighty,” and in what ways does he use his awesome power?

⁵ Jehovah is “exalted in power.” (Job 37:23) Jeremiah 10:6 says: “In no way is there anyone like you, O Jehovah. You are great, and your name is great in mightiness.” Unlike any creature, Jehovah has unlimited power. For that reason, he alone is called “the Almighty.” (Revelation 15:3) Jehovah uses his awesome power to create, to destroy, to protect, and to restore. Consider just two examples​—his creative power and his protective power.

6, 7. How powerful is the sun, and to what important truth does it testify?

⁶ When you stand outside on a bright summer day, what do you feel on your skin? The warmth of the sun. Really, though, you are feeling the results of Jehovah’s creative power. How powerful is the sun? At its core, its temperature is about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit [15 million degrees Celsius]. If you could take a pinhead-sized piece of the sun’s core and put it here on the earth, you could not safely stand within 90 miles [140 km] of that tiny heat source! Every second, the sun emits energy equivalent to the explosion of many hundreds of millions of nuclear bombs. Yet, the earth orbits at just the right distance from that awesome thermonuclear furnace. Too close, and earth’s water would vaporize; too far, and it would all freeze. Either extreme would render our planet lifeless.

⁷ Although their very lives depend upon the sun, many people take it for granted. Thus, they miss what the sun can teach us. Psalm 74:16 says of Jehovah: “You . . . prepared the luminary, even the sun.” Yes, the sun glorifies Jehovah, “the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 146:6) Even so, it is just one of the numerous creations that teach us about Jehovah’s immense power. The more we learn about Jehovah’s creative power, the more profound our awe becomes.

8, 9. (a) What tender word picture shows us Jehovah’s willingness to protect and care for his worshipers? (b) The shepherd of Bible times provided what care for his sheep, and what does this teach us about our Great Shepherd?

⁸ Jehovah also uses his vast power to protect his servants and to care for them. The Bible uses some vivid yet touching word pictures to describe Jehovah’s promises of protective care. Note, for example, Isaiah 40:11. Jehovah there likens himself to a shepherd and his people to sheep. We read: “Like a shepherd he will shepherd his own drove. With his arm he will collect together the lambs; and in his bosom he will carry them. Those giving suck he will conduct with care.” Can you visualize what is described in that verse?

⁹ Few animals are as helpless as domestic sheep. The shepherd of Bible times had to be courageous to protect his sheep from wolves, bears, and lions. (1 Samuel 17:34-36; John 10:10-13) But there were times when protecting and caring for the sheep called for tenderness. For example, when a sheep gave birth far from the fold, how would the shepherd keep the defenseless newborn lamb safe? He would carry it, perhaps for days, “in his bosom”​—the loose folds of his upper garment. How, though, would a little lamb come to be in the shepherd’s bosom? The lamb might approach the shepherd and even nudge his leg. It is the shepherd, however, who would have to bend over, reach out and pick up the lamb, and place it in the security of his bosom. What a tender picture of the willingness of our Great Shepherd to protect and care for his servants!

10. What protection does Jehovah provide today, and why is such protection especially important?

¹⁰ Jehovah has done more than just promise protection. In Bible times, he demonstrated in miraculous ways that he is able “to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial.” (2 Peter 2:9) What about today? We know that he does not use his power to protect us from all calamity now. He does, however, provide something more important​—spiritual protection. Our loving God protects us from spiritual harm by equipping us with what we need in order to endure trials and to safeguard our relationship with him. For example, Luke 11:13 states: “If you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him!” That powerful force can make us equal to any trial or problem we may face. (2 Corinthians 4:7) Jehovah thus works to preserve our life, not just for a few short years, but for eternity. With that prospect in mind, we may indeed view any suffering in this system as “momentary and light.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) Are we not drawn to a God who so lovingly uses his power in our behalf?

“Jehovah Is a Lover of Justice”

11, 12. (a) Why does Jehovah’s justice draw us to him? (b) What conclusion did David reach regarding Jehovah’s justice, and how can these inspired words comfort us?

¹¹ Jehovah does what is right and fair, and he does so consistently, without partiality. Divine justice is, not a cold, harsh quality that repels us, but an endearing quality that draws us to Jehovah. The Bible clearly describes the heartwarming nature of this attribute. Let us, then, consider three ways in which Jehovah exercises his justice.

¹² First, Jehovah’s justice moves him to show faithfulness and loyalty toward his servants. The psalmist David came to appreciate firsthand this facet of Jehovah’s justice. From his own experience and from his study of God’s ways, what conclusion did David reach? He declared: “Jehovah is a lover of justice, and he will not leave his loyal ones. To time indefinite they will certainly be guarded.” (Psalm 37:28) What comforting assurance! Our God will never for one moment abandon those who are loyal to him. We can therefore count on his closeness and his loving care. His justice guarantees this!​—Proverbs 2:7, 8.

13. How is Jehovah’s concern for disadvantaged ones evident in the Law he gave to Israel?

¹³ Second, divine justice is sensitive to the needs of the afflicted. Jehovah’s concern for disadvantaged ones is evident in the Law he gave to Israel. For example, the Law made provisions to ensure that orphans and widows were cared for. (Deuteronomy 24:17-21) Recognizing how difficult life could be for such families, Jehovah himself became their fatherly Judge and Protector. (Deuteronomy 10:17, 18) He warned the Israelites that if they victimized defenseless women and children, he would hear the outcry of such ones. “My anger will indeed blaze,” he stated, as recorded at Exodus 22:22-24. While anger is not one of God’s dominant qualities, he is provoked to righteous indignation by deliberate acts of injustice, especially when the victims are vulnerable ones.​—Psalm 103:6.

14. What is a truly remarkable evidence of Jehovah’s impartiality?

¹⁴ Third, at Deuteronomy 10:17, the Bible assures us that Jehovah “treats none with partiality nor accepts a bribe.” Unlike many humans with power or influence, Jehovah is not swayed by material wealth or outward appearance. He is free from bias or favoritism. A truly remarkable evidence of his impartiality is this: The opportunity of becoming his true worshipers, with endless life in view, is not restricted to an elite few. Rather, Acts 10:34, 35 states: “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” This prospect is open to all regardless of their social standing, the color of their skin, or the country in which they live. Is that not true justice at its very best? Indeed, a better understanding of Jehovah’s justice draws us to him!

“O the Depth of God’s . . . Wisdom!”

15. What is wisdom, and how does Jehovah display it?

¹⁵ The apostle Paul was moved to exclaim, as recorded at Romans 11:33: “O the depth of God’s . . . wisdom and knowledge!” Yes, as we contemplate the various aspects of Jehovah’s vast wisdom, we cannot help but be filled with awe. How, though, can we define this quality? Wisdom brings knowledge, discernment, and understanding together and puts them to work. Drawing upon his breadth of knowledge and his depth of understanding, Jehovah always makes the best decisions possible, carrying them out by means of the best course of action conceivable.

16, 17. How do Jehovah’s creations testify to his vast wisdom? Give an example.

¹⁶ What are some specific evidences of Jehovah’s vast wisdom? Says Psalm 104:24: “How many your works are, O Jehovah! All of them in wisdom you have made. The earth is full of your productions.” Indeed, the more we learn about the things Jehovah has made, the more we find ourselves awed by his wisdom. Why, scientists have learned much from studying Jehovah’s creations! There is even a field of engineering, called biomimetics, that seeks to mimic designs found in nature.

¹⁷ For instance, perhaps you have gazed in wonder at the beauty of a spiderweb. It is indeed a marvel of design. Some frail-looking strands are proportionately stronger than steel, tougher than the fibers in a bulletproof vest. What exactly does that mean? Imagine a web enlarged in scale until it is the size of a net used on a fishing boat. Such a web would be so strong that it could stop a passenger plane in mid-flight! Yes, Jehovah has made all such things “in wisdom.”

18. How is Jehovah’s wisdom seen in his use of humans to record his Word, the Bible?

¹⁸ The greatest evidence of Jehovah’s wisdom can be found in his Word, the Bible. The wise counsel found in its pages truly shows us the best way to live. (Isaiah 48:17) But Jehovah’s incomparable wisdom is also seen in the way the Bible was written. How so? In his wisdom, Jehovah chose to use humans to record his Word. If he had used angels to write the inspired Word, would the Bible have the same appeal? Granted, angels could have portrayed Jehovah from their lofty viewpoint and could have expressed their own devotion to him. But would we really have been able to identify with the perspective of perfect spirit creatures, whose knowledge, experience, and strength are far superior to our own?​—Hebrews 2:6, 7.

19. What example shows that the use of human writers gives the Bible tremendous warmth and appeal?

¹⁹ The use of human penmen gives the Bible tremendous warmth and appeal. Its writers were men with feelings like ours. Being imperfect, they faced trials and pressures similar to our own. In some cases, they wrote in the first person about their own feelings and struggles. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) So they penned words that no angel could have expressed. Take, for example, the words of David recorded in Psalm 51. According to the superscription, David composed this psalm after he had committed serious sin. He poured out his heart, expressing deep sorrow and begging for God’s forgiveness. Ps 51 Verses 2 and 3 say: “Thoroughly wash me from my error, and cleanse me even from my sin. For my transgressions I myself know, and my sin is in front of me constantly.” Notice Ps 51 verse 5: “Look! With error I was brought forth with birth pains, and in sin my mother conceived me.” Ps 51 Verse 17 adds: “The sacrifices to God are a broken spirit; a heart broken and crushed, O God, you will not despise.” Can you not feel the writer’s anguish? Who but an imperfect human could express such sentiments?

20, 21. (a) Why can it be said that despite the use of human writers, the Bible contains Jehovah’s wisdom? (b) What will be discussed in the next article?

²⁰ Through his use of such imperfect humans, Jehovah provided just what we need​—a record that is “inspired of God” yet retains the human element. (2 Timothy 3:16) Yes, those writers were guided by holy spirit. They thus recorded Jehovah’s wisdom, not their own. That wisdom is perfectly trustworthy. It is so far above our own wisdom that God lovingly urges us: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6) By heeding that wise advice, we draw closer to our all-wise God.

²¹ The most endearing and beautiful of all of Jehovah’s qualities is love. How Jehovah has shown love will be discussed in the next article.

“God Is Love”

“He that does not love has not come to know God, because God is love.”​—1 JOHN 4:8.

1-3. (a) What statement does the Bible make about Jehovah’s attribute of love, and in what way is this statement unique? (b) Why does the Bible say that “God is love”?

ALL of Jehovah’s attributes are sterling, perfect, and appealing. But the most endearing of all of Jehovah’s qualities is love. Nothing else draws us so powerfully to Jehovah as his love. Happily, love is also his dominant quality. How do we know that?

² The Bible says something about love that it never says about Jehovah’s other cardinal attributes. The Scriptures do not say that God is power or that God is justice or even that God is wisdom. He possesses those qualities and is the ultimate source of all three. About love, though, something more profound is said at 1 John 4:8: “God is love.” Yes, love runs very deep in Jehovah. It is his very essence, or nature. Generally speaking, we might think of it this way: Jehovah’s power enables him to act. His justice and his wisdom guide the way he acts. However, Jehovah’s love motivates him to act. And his love is always reflected in the way he uses his other attributes.

³ It is often said that Jehovah is the very personification of love. Hence, if we want to learn about love, we must learn about Jehovah. Let us, then, examine some of the facets of Jehovah’s matchless love.

The Greatest Act of Love

4, 5. (a) What is the greatest act of love in all history? (b) Why can we say that Jehovah and his Son are united by the strongest bond of love ever forged?

⁴ Jehovah has shown love in many ways, but there is one that stands out above all others. What is it? It is his sending his Son to suffer and die for us. We can safely say that this is the greatest act of love in all history. Why can we say that?

⁵ The Bible calls Jesus “the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15) Just think​—Jehovah’s Son was in existence before the physical universe. How long, then, were Father and Son together? Some scientists estimate that the universe is 13 billion years old. Yet, even if this estimate is correct, it would not be long enough to represent the life span of Jehovah’s firstborn Son! How was he occupied during all those ages? The Son joyfully served as his Father’s “master worker.” (Proverbs 8:30; John 1:3) Jehovah and his Son worked together to bring all other things into being. What thrilling, happy times they had! Who of us, then, can begin to fathom the power of a bond that has existed over such an immense span of time? Clearly, Jehovah God and his Son are united by the strongest bond of love ever forged.

 6. When Jesus got baptized, how did Jehovah express his feelings about His Son?

⁶ Nevertheless, Jehovah dispatched his Son to the earth to be born as a human baby. Doing so meant that for some decades, Jehovah had to forgo intimate association with his beloved Son in heaven. With intense interest, He watched from heaven as Jesus grew up to be a perfect man. At about 30 years of age, Jesus got baptized. On that occasion the Father spoke personally from heaven: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.” (Matthew 3:17) Seeing that Jesus faithfully did all that had been prophesied, all that was asked of him, his Father must have been so pleased!​—John 5:36; 17:4.

7, 8. (a) What was Jesus put through on Nisan 14, 33 C.E., and how was his heavenly Father affected? (b) Why did Jehovah allow his Son to suffer and die?

⁷ How, though, did Jehovah feel on Nisan 14, 33 C.E., as Jesus was betrayed and then arrested by an angry mob? As Jesus was ridiculed, spat upon, and struck with fists? As he was scourged, his back torn to ribbons? As he was nailed, hands and feet, to a wooden pole and left to hang there while people reviled him? How did the Father feel as his beloved Son cried out to him in the throes of agony? How did Jehovah feel as Jesus breathed his last and, for the first time since the dawn of all creation, His dear Son was not in existence?​—Matthew 26:14-16, 46, 47, 56, 59, 67; 27:26, 38-44, 46; John 19:1.

⁸ Since Jehovah has feelings, the pain he must have suffered over the death of his Son is beyond the power of our words to express. What can be expressed is Jehovah’s motive for having allowed it to happen. Why did the Father subject himself to such pain? Jehovah reveals something wonderful to us at John 3:16​—a Bible verse so important that it has been called the Gospel in miniature. It says: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” So God’s motive amounted to this: love. No greater love has ever been shown.

How Jehovah Assures Us of His Love

 9. What does Satan want us to believe about Jehovah’s view of us, but of what does Jehovah assure us?

⁹ However, an important question arises: Does God love us personally? Some may agree that God loves mankind in general, as John 3:16 says. But they feel, in effect, ‘God could never love me as an individual.’ The fact is that Satan the Devil is eager for us to believe that Jehovah neither loves us nor values us. On the other hand, no matter how unlovable or worthless we may think we are, Jehovah assures us that each of his faithful servants is of value to him.

10, 11. How does Jesus’ illustration of the sparrows show that we have value in Jehovah’s eyes?

¹⁰ For example, consider Jesus’ words recorded at Matthew 10:29-31. Illustrating the worth of his disciples, Jesus said: “Do not two sparrows sell for a coin of small value? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore have no fear: you are worth more than many sparrows.” Consider what those words meant to Jesus’ first-century listeners.

¹¹ In Jesus’ day the sparrow was the cheapest of the birds sold as food. For one coin of small value, a buyer got two sparrows. But Jesus later stated, according to Luke 12:6, 7, that if a person spent two coins, he got, not four sparrows, but five. The extra bird was added in as though it had no value at all. Perhaps such birds were worthless in the eyes of men, but how did the Creator view them? Jesus said: “Not one of them [not even the one added in] goes forgotten before God.” Now we may begin to see Jesus’ point. Since Jehovah places such value on a single sparrow, of how much greater worth is a human! As Jesus said, Jehovah knows every detail about us. Why, the very hairs of our head are numbered!

12. Why can we be sure that Jesus was being realistic when he spoke of the hairs of our head being numbered?

¹² Some might assume that Jesus was exaggerating here. Just think, though, about the resurrection. How intimately Jehovah must know us in order to re-create us! He values us so much that he remembers every detail, including our complex genetic code and all our years of memories and experiences. Numbering our hairs​—of which the average human head grows about 100,000—​would be a simple feat by comparison. How beautifully Jesus’ words assure us that Jehovah cares for us as individuals!

13. How does the case of King Jehoshaphat show that Jehovah looks for the good in us even though we are imperfect?

¹³ The Bible reveals something else that assures us of Jehovah’s love. He looks for and values the good in us. Take, for example, good King Jehoshaphat. When the king committed a foolish act, Jehovah’s prophet told him: “For this there is indignation against you from the person of Jehovah.” What a sobering thought! But Jehovah’s message did not end there. It went on: “Nevertheless, there are good things that have been found with you.” (2 Chronicles 19:1-3) So Jehovah’s righteous anger did not blind him to the “good things” about Jehoshaphat. Is it not reassuring to know that our God looks for the good in us even though we are imperfect?

A God Who Is “Ready to Forgive”

14. When we sin, what burdensome feelings may we experience, but how may we benefit from Jehovah’s forgiveness?

¹⁴ When we sin, the disappointment, shame, and guilt that we feel may cause us to think that we could never be worthy of serving Jehovah. Remember, though, that Jehovah is “ready to forgive.” (Psalm 86:5) Yes, if we repent of our sins and strive hard not to repeat them, we may benefit from Jehovah’s forgiveness. Consider how the Bible describes this marvelous facet of Jehovah’s love.

15. How far away from us does Jehovah put our sins?

¹⁵ The psalmist David used a vivid expression to describe Jehovah’s forgiveness: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Italics ours; Psalm 103:12, The Amplified Bible) How far is east from west? In a sense, east is always at the utmost distance imaginable from west; the two points can never meet. One scholar notes that this expression means “as far as possible; as far as we can imagine.” David’s inspired words tell us that when Jehovah forgives, he puts our sins as far away from us as we can imagine.

16. When Jehovah forgives our sins, why may we feel assured that he views us as clean thereafter?

¹⁶ Have you ever tried to remove a stain from a light-colored garment? Perhaps despite your best efforts, the stain remained visible. Notice how Jehovah describes his capacity for forgiveness: “Though the sins of you people should prove to be as scarlet, they will be made white just like snow; though they should be red like crimson cloth, they will become even like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) The word “scarlet” denotes a bright-red color.a “Crimson” was one of the deep colors of dyed material. We can never through our own efforts remove the stain of sin. Yet, Jehovah can take sins that are like scarlet and crimson and make them white like snow or undyed wool. So when Jehovah forgives our sins, we need not feel that we bear the stain of such sins for the rest of our life.

17. In what sense does Jehovah throw our sins behind his back?

¹⁷ In a moving song of gratitude that Hezekiah composed after he was spared from a deadly sickness, he said to Jehovah: “You have thrown behind your back all my sins.” (Isaiah 38:17) Jehovah is here portrayed as taking the sins of a repentant wrongdoer and throwing them behind Him where He neither sees them nor takes notice of them anymore. According to one reference work, the idea conveyed may be expressed: “You have made [my sins] as if they had not happened.” Is that not comforting?

18. How does the prophet Micah indicate that when Jehovah forgives, He removes our sins permanently?

¹⁸ In a promise of restoration, the prophet Micah expressed his conviction that Jehovah would forgive his repentant people: “Who is a God like you, . . . passing over transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? . . . And you will throw into the depths of the sea all their sins.” (Micah 7:18, 19) Imagine what those words meant to people living in Bible times. Was there any chance of retrieving something that had been hurled “into the depths of the sea”? Micah’s words thus indicate that when Jehovah forgives, he removes our sins permanently.

“The Tender Compassion of Our God”

19, 20. (a) What is the meaning of the Hebrew verb rendered “show mercy” or “have pity”? (b) How does the Bible use the feelings that a mother has for her baby to teach us about Jehovah’s compassion?

¹⁹ Compassion is another facet of Jehovah’s love. What is compassion? In the Bible, there is a close relationship between compassion and mercy. A number of Hebrew and Greek words convey the sense of compassion. For example, the Hebrew verb ra·chamʹ is often rendered “show mercy” or “have pity.” This Hebrew term, which Jehovah applies to himself, is related to the word for “womb” and can be described as “motherly compassion.”

²⁰ The Bible uses the feelings that a mother has for her baby to teach us about Jehovah’s compassion. Isaiah 49:15 says: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion [ra·chamʹ] on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you.” (The Amplified Bible) It is hard to imagine that a mother would forget to nourish and care for her nursing child. After all, an infant is helpless; day and night a baby needs its mother’s attention. Sad to say, however, maternal neglect is not unheard of, especially in these “critical times.” (2 Timothy 3:1, 3) “Yet,” Jehovah declares, “I will not forget you.” The tender compassion that Jehovah has for his servants is immeasurably stronger than the most tender natural feeling that we can imagine​—the compassion that a mother normally feels for her infant child.

21, 22. What did the Israelites experience in ancient Egypt, and how did Jehovah respond to their outcries?

²¹ How does Jehovah, like a loving parent, show compassion? This quality is clearly seen in the way he dealt with Israel of old. By the end of the 16th century B.C.E., millions of Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, where they were severely oppressed. (Exodus 1:11, 14) In their distress, the Israelites cried out to Jehovah. How did the God of compassion respond?

²² Jehovah’s heart was touched. He said: “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry . . . I well know the pains they suffer.” (Exodus 3:7) Jehovah could not see the sufferings of his people or hear their outcries without feeling for them. Jehovah is a God of empathy. And empathy​—the ability to identify with the pain of others—​is akin to compassion. However, Jehovah did not just feel for his people; he was moved to act in their behalf. Isaiah 63:9 says: “In his love and in his compassion he himself repurchased them.” With “a strong hand,” he rescued the Israelites out of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 4:34) Thereafter, he provided them with miraculous food and delivered them into a fruitful land of their own.

23. (a) How do the psalmist’s words assure us that Jehovah is deeply concerned about us as individuals? (b) In what ways does Jehovah help us?

²³ Jehovah does not show compassion to his people only as a group. Our loving God is deeply concerned about us as individuals. He is keenly aware of any suffering we may undergo. The psalmist said: “The eyes of Jehovah are toward the righteous ones, and his ears are toward their cry for help. Jehovah is near to those that are broken at heart; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.” (Psalm 34:15, 18) How does Jehovah help us as individuals? He does not necessarily remove the cause of our suffering. But he has made abundant provisions for those who cry out to him for help. His Word offers practical counsel that can make a difference. In the congregation, he provides spiritually qualified overseers, who endeavor to reflect his compassion in helping others. (James 5:14, 15) As the “Hearer of prayer,” Jehovah gives “holy spirit to those asking him.” (Psalm 65:2; Luke 11:13) All such provisions are expressions of “the tender compassion of our God.”​—Luke 1:78.

24. How will you respond to Jehovah’s love?

²⁴ Is it not thrilling to contemplate our heavenly Father’s love? In the preceding article, we were reminded that Jehovah has exercised his power, justice, and wisdom in loving ways to our benefit. And in this article, we have seen that Jehovah has directly expressed his love for mankind​—and for us individually—​in remarkable ways. Now, each of us does well to ask, ‘How will I respond to Jehovah’s love?’ May you respond by loving him with your whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. (Mark 12:29, 30) May the way you live your life each day reflect your heartfelt desire to draw ever closer to Jehovah. And may Jehovah, the God who is love, draw ever closer to you​—throughout all eternity!​—James 4:8.

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