RAINY DAYS and MONDAYS - REALLY?

It was Monday (if a pastor is going to  be down emotionally it will be Monday) and I was in a bad mood.  I was pretty much self-focused. I wanted to think about the things that were troubling and frustrating me. So when Carol mentioned someone she was concerned about.  I dismissed it and kept on brooding.  The good news is that Carol knows me well enough - and loves me enough not to let me get away with that nonsense.  She challenged me to stop thinking about myself and to see what was going on with this other person.  As we talked I realized that my self-focus and my frustration over what I was thinking and feeling was keeping me from being able to serve this other person in a godly way.  Let’s look at these verses together.

Luke 7:11-15 (NLT)  ...Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed Him. [12] A funeral procession was coming out as He approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. [13] When the Lord saw her, His heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” He said. [14] Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up.” [15] Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

 Luke 7:13 (MSG) When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, "Don't cry."

Jesus was moved by great compassion.  His heart BROKE for this widow.  WHY? She had lost her only son.  In that time period that meant she would most likely end up destitute - husbands and sons took care of wives and mothers.  So Jesus seeing how bleak her future would be acted.  I love this picture of our Lord Jesus.  His heart overflowed with compassion - His heart broke and He acted.  I wonder how often does my heart go out to those who are hurting. How often does MY HEART BREAK with the pain of what someone else is going through.  When we allow ourselves to be moved as Jesus was by the needs of others - it takes the focus of OURSELVES.  It gives us the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we reach out and encourage and help others in His Name.  May the Lord give us more and more His heart for those who are struggling and hurting around us.    

PRAYER: Lord, help me to have Your TENDERNESS and COMPASSION for others. Please Lord Jesus, may my heart BREAK with those things which BREAK Your heart.  Then give me wisdom to do those things that I can do to encourage and help those You bring across my path.