“The Lord is compassionate and merciful, long-suffering and rich in mercy” «οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων ὁ Κύριος, μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος» Psalm 103 (102 in Greek), Verse 8 With these four adjectives David expresses both the experience of God in his own life and in the life of Israel. Elder Aimilianos says that God's “compassion” is exercised on behalf of human beings who are made of earth and are forever in danger of lapsing into non-existence.[1] If something is very delicate and fragile, you'll handle it with care and compassion. Human nature demands that God act toward it with sensitivity and compassion. [...]

Job the Long-Suffering   Job was a blameless man who “feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). So righteous was he, that there was “none like him on the earth” (Job 1:8).  But Satan argued that Job was faithful only because God had blessed him with much wealth and health and ten children. Thus God allowed Job to be tested and in a single day he looses all of his children, his servants and his livestock. Yet instead of cursing God (which is what Satan wanted), he fell down upon the ground and worshiped God saying, “Naked I came from [...]