A Wonderful Gift - Matthew 20:34

Matthew 20:34           Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him. (NIV)

            I love reading about the healing miracles of Jesus. What usually affects me is not what He does, but why He does it. In this passage, (Matthew 20:29-34) two blind men cry out to Jesus for mercy and healing. He hears their request and He restores their sight. Why? Because He had compassion on them.

            Compassion is a wonderful gift that Jesus has given to His followers and church. Compassion means that we align ourselves with those who are suffering and seek ways to relieve their pain, illness, or circumstances. The major role of the Church is to be a compassionate reconciler and healer to the world. Compassion is a major hallmark of our Christian faith – if we ever lose that, we will no longer be the Church in God’s world.

            Jesus could have walked by the two blind men and carried on with His mission. Instead, He listened to their plea for help and as He did, His heart melted with compassion. At that moment in time, He had the power to remedy their blindness, so He stopped what He was doing and healed them of all that was harming and debilitating them. They were powerless to do anything but cry out; He was powerful enough to help and cure them.  As Christians, we are called to do the same – to be heart-led followers of Christ and not heartless folks in our community.

Point to ponder

What is compassion and how do I show it to others?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we call You ‘Lord,’ because we seek to serve You. We are meant to emulate Your ways and share Your compassion to the world. Help us to empower the powerless and to support the weak. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest church bulletin drawings for Epiphany 6A. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Ep6A.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at this link: www.erinpresbyterian.org.

Ministry devotion: A Tale of Two People - James 5:13

James 5:13     Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.

            Yesterday morning, I was supposed to attend our quarterly Presbytery meeting which was being held at our beautiful John Knox Center. It’s always a delightful place to visit because of the wonderful scenery which surrounds the campground. However, God had other plans.

            As I was driving down the Interstate, I saw two people walking along the shoulder. Both of them were wilting under the tremendous heat of the sun. I thought that one of them was a woman and she seemed to be carrying all of her belongings in a rag bundle. After passing them, because I was in a hurry to get to Presbytery, I couldn't get the image out of my mind.

            I took the next exit and doubled back. By this time, they had stopped walking and were sitting on the metal railing in the shade. I eventually came around their way again and stopped the car on the shoulder beside them. They were relieved that someone had actually stopped.

            They hadn't eaten anything hot in two days. They were both unwashed, sunburned, and suffering from exhaustion. They had been on the road for four days and still had another six days journey ahead of them. They were heading to Arkansas but hoped to reach Nashville that day, whereas I was heading to the camp just a couple of miles up the road. As my exit came up, I decided to take them to get them breakfast and then drive them to Nashville.

            After they had eaten, I told them to go to sleep in the back of the car if they needed it. Within minutes, they were sleeping like babies. Nashville was almost a three hour drive and they slept all of the way until we reached the outskirts of the city. We stopped for coffee and lunch. I then took them to one of the biggest churches in the city, which has a large benevolence ministry. I knew that they would be well looked after. Today, they may be on a Greyhound bus traveling home. It my fervent hope and prayer that they get home quickly and safely to be with their families.

            As I drove back to Knoxville, I wondered if it had been a wasted day. I could have spent it at the Center enjoying the scenery and getting involved with a few theological tussles that us ministers like to provoke and participate in. And then I remembered the smiles on their faces when I stopped the car, as well as the laughter that we shared over lunch.

The day was not wasted; it was totally blessed.

Questions for personal reflection

What are my plans for today? Am I willing to let God’s plans change those of my own?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, help us in Church World to become part of the Real World. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings called “Emmaus Window.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7193/13905769187_8b7a246e57_b.jpg