Experiencing the Love of Jesus
Prayer: Luke 7:13 “When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don't cry’.“
In the next couple of devotions, we are going to look at times in Jesus‟ life when He encountered suffering people. These people were as you and I are today, not any different when you exclude their culture and the times in which they lived. They were parents, siblings, masters, prostitutes, synagogue leaders (ministers/preachers), soldiers, etc.
By looking at the way Jesus interacted with hurting people, we can better understand that Christianity in its purest form is founded on God restoring a lost relationship with us.
F. B. Meyer writes, “In its ultimate essence, Christ is the All and In-All of our holy religion. Not creed, nor ceremonials, nor the life of active philanthropy, but His personal life and presence in the [our] heart are the supreme goal of the New Testament. What the Father was to Him, He desires to be to us.”
The following events are paraphrased from Biblical accounts:
Luke 7:13-15 - Jesus is traveling and comes to the gate of a small village called Nain. He and the large group with Him come upon a body being carried out, a large procession following. A widow is walking in the procession, for it is her son, her only son, who is dead. Jesus sees the mother crying and says, “Don‟t cry.” Going up to the coffin, He touches it. Those carrying it stood still. Jesus says, “Young man, I say to you, get up!" The youth sat up and Jesus gives him back to his mother.
Luke 8:41-56 - While in another small village, a synagogue leader asks Jesus to come heal his young daughter. As He walks to this man‟s home, He stops when a woman presses through the crowd to touch His clothing. Healing power enters her with that touch of faith. As He comforts her, someone comes from the house of the synagogue leader, Jairus, "Your daughter is dead," he says. However, Jesus says to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed." He then goes on to his home and finds family members mourning with loud cries. He assures them the child is not dead. The crowd scorns Him, knowing the child is dead, and misses the miracle. Jesus takes only James, John and Peter in with the parents. He takes the girl by the hand and tells her, “My child, get up,” then presents her to the parents.
Luke 7:36-50 - Jesus is invited to dinner at a priest‟s home. Homes in Palestine normally had tables, which sat very low to the floor. Guests sat on pillows, propped on an elbow and reclined with their feet behind them. Prominent people, such as this priest, allowed the common people into their courtyards to view noted guests having dinner, in this case, likely served on a veranda. As Jesus dines, a woman makes her way to Jesus. Without a word, she kneels at His feet with a jar of perfumed ointment. She weeps, tears falling onto His feet. While weeping, she kisses His feet and wipes them with her hair.
Continued next week -