Bearing Burdens

SCRIPTURE

Luke 10:33-37
The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.
The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”
Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Matthew 7:1
"Do not judge so that you will not be judged.”

Galatians 6:2
“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”


PRAYER

Lord, I thank you today for ______, and the strength of his caring heart, for he is truly a man who understands love. He listens deeply to the true heart, and does not judge on past actions alone. In fact, he does not judge at all, but just reaches out with humility and forgiveness. He knows that even the heart that has wandered hurts. He does not ask where the wounds came from, and judge the worthiness of the wounded. He simply sees the wounds, refuses to pass by on the other side of the road, and reaches out to give what he can toward healing. He calls. He writes. He shows hospitality. He encourages. He prays. And he even talks straight when the time is right. He is a friend. He is a true neighbor. He gives his strength to help shoulder a load that is too heavy to carry alone. So Lord, I ask that at this very moment you would smile upon ______. Give him a taste today of the reward you have stored up for him … an extra dose of your blessing … something special just for him . May he know how deeply those he reaches out to are touched. May he know they will never be the same because of him. May he know that he is making a difference. And may he know how rare his breed is indeed. Amen.

ENCOURAGEMENT

You will never know how profound your humble, forgiving touch has been. Grace has flowed from the throne of our Lord, through you, and into the wounded. Thank you… thank you.


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Dave's Life Coaching
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