MARK 1:40-42 NKJV
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
REFERENCES: Genesis 1:26-27
Throughout scripture we see God’s compassion on display. In the original Greek, the word compassion is Splagchnizomai, which literally means ‘to be moved so deeply by something that you feel it in the pit of your stomach’. From Peter’s first encounter with Jesus, to Jesus healing the leper, we see Jesus moved with compassion. The leper, due to the state of his condition, was not able to stand in the presence of Jesus. Peter, due to his betrayal of Jesus, felt unworthy to be accepted by Jesus’ love. Yet, Jesus embraced both the leper and Peter with open arms, allowing their healing to take place. Regardless of our shortcomings, weaknesses, or failures, the compassion of Christ meets us where we are.
You can’t catapult yourself outside the compassion of Jesus.
The story of Peter shows how a faithless fisherman became a fisher of men. At his greatest moment of weakness, Peter denies Jesus three times, but Jesus redeems Peter, asking him three times "Do you love me?" Peter responds three times, ‘Yes!’, each time erasing his past mistakes. Just like Peter, we too can experience redemption through the compassion of Christ.
Like the leper we can find ourselves asking the question, “Is God willing to heal me”? Surely after many mistakes and shortcomings we can feel distant from God, but he is a good God that loves us regardless of where we find ourselves.
God’s compassion is beyond anything we can think or imagine. In reading the Bible we can understand the essence of it, but miss the depth of it. God’s love is deeper and wider than the oceans. The Bible may contain rules, but it’s not a rule book, it’s a love story. No matter how many mistakes we’ve made, his love for us never changes. Remember there is hope because there is a God who is good and loves you. All we have to do is surrender. Surrendering is the holiest thing you can do. Allow his compassion to embrace you.
As you pray, open your heart. God’s compassion is available. Speak out the things you feel ashamed of in your life, and allow healing to begin.
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Good News: Hope is here! Celebrate Easter in community. With gatherings all weekend, there’s something for everyone.
Friday, March 29 – Good Friday
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We live in the tension of present hard times and coming good times. In this gap, our faith is formed. The gathering of the saints produces perseverance for you to run your race of faith. VOUSCon is this moment.
June 20-22
Miami, FL
As we create an atmosphere that glorifies God, we create space for Him to move. As servant leaders, we carry the culture. Because we value Con, we invest in it.