He Chose Compassion (Forty Days with Jesus – Day 2, Feb 18th)

16 Mar He Chose Compassion (Forty Days with Jesus – Day 2, Feb 18th)

Read Mark 6:34

Thought for the Day: We all have a God-sized hole in our lives!

Each of us lives with a God-sized hole in our lives. While we know what we should fill this hole with with, we often behave like sheep and wander from God.  Rather than following His leading, we can quickly turn to three things that always let us down. We turn to shame, that feeling that “I’m not good enough” and either turtle or try to impress others. We turn to guilt, that notion that “I don’t do enough” and overcompensate by taking on things we either can’t or shouldn’t do. We turn to fear, that feeling that “I don’t have enough” and either give up or overwork.

Jesus doesn’t want us to wander away by grabbing hold of shame, guilt, or fear. Instead, He wants to be our shepherd. In Mark’s Gospel, we see first-hand how Jesus has compassion on all those who wander: “When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” Rather than getting frustrated that the people were wandering away from God, Jesus chose to have compassion. He was deeply moved by His love for each of them. He didn’t blame them for their wandering or directionlessness. Instead, he acknowledged that they simply needed a shepherd!

Jesus chose compassion and sees our times of wandering as evidence that we are sheep needing a shepherd. At the times when you or I turn to shame, guilt, and fear, He wants us to stop trying to fill our God-sized holes with the wrong things. Instead, Jesus asks each of us to turn to Him in these moments and let Him lead!

Reflect & Pray – Today, where am I turning to shame/guilt/fear instead of to Jesus? Am I willing to give Him my feelings of inadequacy and let Him be my shepherd? God, please give me the courage to see Your compassion!