Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - MOVED WITH COMPASSION

Day 275 - (Today’s Bible readings: Amos 3:12-4:12; Psalm 91; Mark 1:16-34)

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. (Mark 1:40-42 ESV)

In today’s Bible reading from Mark, Jesus teaches us several important lessons.

1) How to properly pray for earthly blessings:
“If you will, you can make me clean.”

2) Jesus cares about sinners in need. He has compassion on them:
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him...

Compassion, Greek splagchnizomai. Literally “his gut moved.” Jesus experienced the same gut reaction as we sometimes do in sad situations. (Concordia Study Bible, CPS, 2009, page 722)

This is good news for us sinners living in an imperfect world. Jesus truly cares about us and our human condition. The ultimate assurance that this is true is found on the cross. Jesus cared so much about us and our lostness that He died as payment for our sins.

3) Jesus is God:
... and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

Lord Jesus, thank You for having gut wrenching pity on me and my condition. Thank You also for acting on that pity and love by obediently going to the cross and redeeming me from sin, death and the devil. Please use me to share Your great love with other lost sinners.  Amen.

Pastor David Paape 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings  
Then scroll down to 2019 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!