Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 25, 2019
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead”. Luke 10:30
When we hear the story of the Good Samaritan, I think it is easy to default to seeing ourselves as the hero of this story. We are also meant to be the ones who reach out in love to heal and restore those who are beaten and bruised, no matter who they are or where they come from. And of course, there is great truth in this perspective, yet I wonder how the story changes when we choose to read it from the perspective of the man left for dead on the road?
Far too often you and I live and view the world from positions of superiority. We think we are the ones who “have” and are meant to bless those who “have not.” Yet true discipleship, true love for the other, requires that we see our shared frailty and humanity, to remember that to be human is to be someone in need, someone who is affected by the brokenness of the world. We are the ones in need, Jesus is the Good Samaritan who brings our healing.
In Jesus we encounter the perfection of love for God and perfection of love for neighbor. Jesus moves in love and compassion towards each and every person affected by the weight of sin and death. Jesus the Good Samaritan moves towards the world in love and compassion, not stopping to ask if we are deserving of his love. His mission is to heal the world and that requires a radical willingness to lead with love, a love that transcends neat boundaries and easy definitions.
This is the good news of the gospel. This is good news for you! God moves towards us in love and compassion when we find ourselves isolated from him and from others. In countless ways we make decisions that leave us empty and hollow, shattered and scattered. Our hope is that when, not if, we find ourselves in these situations, God’s love is not shaken nor does it waver. As a popular worship song reminds us, “There’s no shadow you won’t light up, mountain you won’t climb up, coming after me.”
Do you believe this is God’s heart towards you today? Wherever you find yourself, do you believe God can find you there? And not only find you there, but approach you with love and compassion and bring you to a place of healing and hope? This is the heart of the Good Samaritan.
Prayer
Father, thank you that you love us and rescue us from sin and death, through Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Application
How does the story of the Good Samaritan reframe your own struggle and give you newfound hope?
Related Reading
Psalm 23:6; 1 John 4:19; Revelation 3:20
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God’s love is not shaken nor does it waver. #goandtell #wisdomhunters #Jesus
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4-minute video- Cory Asbury:
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