Today's Reading:
- Luke 7:11 - 7:35
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Luke 7:11 - 7:35
Today's passages started out with a bang. It's funny how often that happens when we are reading about the amazing life of Jesus! We are told that Jesus was walking along when he intercepted a funeral procession for the only son of a widow. This widow was very distraught, for her livelihood was now at stake.
Verses 7:13 - 15 says that the heart of Jesus overflowed with compassion for the woman and so he raised the son from the dead. That act alone is an amazing miracle, but it's not what I want to focus on. The words that caught my attention were "overflowing compassion."
How wonderful is it that our Lord -- the creator of billions of people -- can have compassion in His heart for all of us? That is especially awe inspiring when you think of how often we refuse to have compassion for others, even those that we love. Yet the Lord has compassion for all of us,even though we don't deserve it.
The reading goes on to talk about how the Pharisees had rejected Jesus because he didn't act in the manner they thought he should. They apparently thought that in order to be the Messiah, that Jesus had to act like a king -- wear fancy clothes, dine with the best of the society and religious leaders, live in a palace -- mainly, they wanted Jesus to direct all of his attention on them -- and they wanted him to do so in splendor.
I am so thankful that our Lord does not act like society. Our Lord is forgiving, yet our society is condemning. Our Lord is gracious, yet society is selfish. Our Lord is filled with compassion, yet society has a cold heart. Our Lord is filled with love for all, yet as a society we tear each other apart.
Thank you Lord for being a friend of sinners. For loving us even when we fall short. For forgiving us of all the horrid things we do. For sending Jesus Christ to bridge the gap between your holiness and our sinfulness. Thank you, Lord for being forever gracious to us.
Luke 7:11 - 7:35
Today's passages started out with a bang. It's funny how often that happens when we are reading about the amazing life of Jesus! We are told that Jesus was walking along when he intercepted a funeral procession for the only son of a widow. This widow was very distraught, for her livelihood was now at stake.
Verses 7:13 - 15 says that the heart of Jesus overflowed with compassion for the woman and so he raised the son from the dead. That act alone is an amazing miracle, but it's not what I want to focus on. The words that caught my attention were "overflowing compassion."
How wonderful is it that our Lord -- the creator of billions of people -- can have compassion in His heart for all of us? That is especially awe inspiring when you think of how often we refuse to have compassion for others, even those that we love. Yet the Lord has compassion for all of us,even though we don't deserve it.
The reading goes on to talk about how the Pharisees had rejected Jesus because he didn't act in the manner they thought he should. They apparently thought that in order to be the Messiah, that Jesus had to act like a king -- wear fancy clothes, dine with the best of the society and religious leaders, live in a palace -- mainly, they wanted Jesus to direct all of his attention on them -- and they wanted him to do so in splendor.
I am so thankful that our Lord does not act like society. Our Lord is forgiving, yet our society is condemning. Our Lord is gracious, yet society is selfish. Our Lord is filled with compassion, yet society has a cold heart. Our Lord is filled with love for all, yet as a society we tear each other apart.
Thank you Lord for being a friend of sinners. For loving us even when we fall short. For forgiving us of all the horrid things we do. For sending Jesus Christ to bridge the gap between your holiness and our sinfulness. Thank you, Lord for being forever gracious to us.
