Compassion

Prayer For REVIVAL in America

SCRIPTURE

When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said.

~Luke 7:13

QUOTE

Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world.

~Francis Schaeffer

COMMENTARY

The heart is critical to worship, evangelism, mission and ministry. In Luke 10 Jesus tells the story of a man who has been robbed, stripped and beaten and left to die. Three men pass that way and only one stops. Jesus and His disciples were on the way into the city of Nain when they met the widow who was crying because her only son had passed away. Jesus saw her tears and His heart was moved; He said, “Don’t Cry” and then He walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. Jesus acted from compassion: His heart moved Him.

The priest in Luke 10 had no compassion and neither did the Levite. Their hearts were unmoved. Both saw the dying man and both passed by in a hurry to get to the Temple. Had these two known that the video was on, they might have stopped but for the wrong reason. They were highly religious and no doubt deeply committed but they had bad hearts. Along comes a hated Samaritan who has compassion and saved the man’s life.

• Why don’t people sing in worship? They don’t have the heart for Praise.
• Why don’t we share the gospel with our lost neighbors? We don’t have a heart for Evangelism or for the lost.
• Why don’t we do missions and give sacrificially to missions? We don’t have a heart for Missions.
• Why do we get so intent on getting to the service that we miss the opportunity to serve? We don’t have a heart for Ministry.

EXTRA

• Happy Labor Day
• Good Reviews on “Defining Moments” video.
• Very good day yesterday and lots to be thankful for: got choked up on HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD. Thank YOU Jesus for all your blessing!
• Good crowd at picnic, good burgers, great ice cream. Huge YOUTH turn out!