June 18, 2018

June 18, 2018

Judy Hollaway

March 11

Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 10:33-37 “But a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night. The next day he handed the innkeeper two twenty-dollar bills and told him to take care of the man. ‘If his bill runs higher than that,’ he said, ‘I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the bandits’ victim?” The man replied, “The one who showed him some pity.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

                Jesus is talking to a Jew to whom asked Jesus how to enter Heaven. The Jew responded to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.  Jesus tells him a story about how a half breed Samaritan, who showed more compassion than a Jewish Priest and a Levite, temple servant who avoided the man. Through this story Jesus revealed the condition of this man’s heart! 

                How we live daily reveals our love and the condition of our hearts. Is there someone we hate or despise and avoid because of their skin color or their dress or living conditions don't fit our mode of thinking. We are to love everyone. Everyone, now that is tough for some of us. This reveals to me who I am letting rule my heart! 

                I remember getting upset one time and someone told me you will get hard to it and when I got home I cried and prayed Lord I don't want to be hard I want to love! He has had to teach me how to keep loving when I'm not loved! I am to forgive and to let His love flow through me. God's love is unconditional. What if today he said I am not going to love Judy she isn't acting right?  Can I imagine for one moment what it would be like if God withheld His love for me! Oh I would fall apart! That's what we do when someone hurts us we withhold our love. 

Lord we are needy people, help us have compassion upon all people. Help us to allow Your love to flow through us. Help us to love when we are not loved in return. Help us not grow hard but keep our hearts soft and fill us with unconditional love where we choose to keep on loving and going those extra miles. 

Tomorrow:  We stop running and visit with Jesus at Martha's house! Lots to learn there!!