The Compassionate Jesus

We may hear alot about compassionate conservatism, but the compassion that we are to take note of and cry out for and seek to imitate FIRST of all is the compassion of Jesus. One among many beautiful and encouraging examples of His compassion is seen in Mark 8:1-10 as Jesus feeds the 4,000 in a desolate place somewhere in the Decapolis (east of the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee).

Simply listen to Jesus' words to His disciples:

"I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away" vv.2-3.

Note:

• Jesus simply CARED that the people were hungry. Jesus knew hunger. Remember 40 days in the wilderness? He did not want the people to begin their journeys home and faint from hunger along the way. He wanted to meet their physical need. A simple, humane, caring motivation. Jesus feels and He cares. He is moved even by our physical and material needs.
• Jesus intimately KNEW these folk's situation. They had been with Him for 3 days and their food had run out. They were in a desolate place where no food could be purchased easily. He knew the shape they were in - in danger of fainting along the way home. He KNEW. HE KNOWS your situation, too. Intimately. Detail by detail. He cares and He knows.
• Jesus MET THE NEED. He did it like He alone could. He once again took a little and made it sufficient for many. More than sufficient. 7 loaves to feed 4,000 men. No problem. A few sardines to feed the same number? Coming right up. He has the resources to meet every need and He will use them. WHY?

He omnisciently KNOWS our need, He compassionately CARES that we are in need, and He therefore omnipotently MEETS our need out of His infinite resources.

Do you believe this? Do you believe this about His compassion for YOU? To think that the infinite One feels my need is astounding. But TRUE.

Since He is this way, shouldn't we be also? "O Lord, give me a heart like your great heart that feels the needs of others, that will care enough to learn their needs, and that will do something about it. And, Lord, may my heart be opened to the amazing grace that my Lord and Savior feels for me."