Thursday, February 25

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Leviticus 16:29–18:30

Mark 7:24–8:10

Psalm 41:1–13

Proverbs 10:15,16

 

 

“During those days another large crowd gathered.  Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.  If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” (Mark 8:1–4)

 

“Blessed is he who has regard for the weak;

                the Lord delivers him in times of need.

The Lord will protect him and preserve his life;

                he will bless him in the land

                and not surrender him to desire of his foes.

The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed

                and restore him from his bed of illness.” (Psalm 41:1–13)

 

 

These passages point to the compassionate heart of God.  In the first, the Lord Jesus Christ views 4,000 men – plus women and children – and wants to ensure that they are not left stranded and hungry.  In the second example, the psalmist David highlights the blessings that may accrue to “he who has regard for the weak,” thereby endorsing compassion for all through the righteous.

 

What does Jesus’s compassionate heart tell us?  He targeted His love to these folks’ direct needs.  In addition, He involved His disciples in serving and blessing those in need.  For both groups, Christ’s compassion drew forth greater faith.  Importantly, we see that Jesus takes seven loaves of bread, feeds the entire group, and then returns seven basketfuls to His disciples.  It appears that, should we join God in responding in compassion, He will take what little we may bring, multiply it, and refill us after we have poured ourselves out on behalf of others.  The same thesis runs through Psalm 41, too.

 

How may we appropriate God’s power to apply His compassion for those in need?  First, we may draw near to God and seek to serve under His auspices; we cannot push forward under our own strength.  Second, we may bring our resources and lay them before the Lord’s throne for His purposes.  Third, we may serve with abandon, trusting God for the refilling of our resources.  By showing compassion, we display God’s character and bring praise and glory to our Father.  As the worshippers described in Psalm 84:7, “they will go from strength to strength… ”

 

Whom may we love and serve in compassion?  How may we point to a compassionate God Who cares both for the recipient and the giver?

 

May we eagerly serve with Christ’s heart of compassion.

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your example of loving concern for hurting people.  We come to You today and seek Your heart, so that we may display this same heart of compassion.  We lay our small and insufficient resources before You, trusting You to increase them for Your purposes.  Make us ready to share Your love where it is most needed.  Empower us through Your Holy Spirit to persist in lovingkindness.  Thank You for indicating that You would refill our resources so that we may indeed go from strength to strength.  We love You and worship You as King of kings and Lord of lords.  In Your Name, amen.

 

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