Daily Devotion: Be Filled with Compassion

Scripture:
Matthew 9: 35-38

Main Verse:
Matthew 9: 36
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Observation:
Jesus frequently used the sheep and the shepherd as analogies whenever He preached. When He went preaching to towns and synagogues, He saw the merciful state of the people. He was filled with compassion. He was filled with sorrow and sympathy. He saw in them a flock of sheep that needed a shepherd. He saw that those people needed salvation, and that without salvation, they will perish and suffer the consequences of a sinful life. So He told His disciples that the harvest is plentiful. There are so many people who are hungry and thirsty for the Word. There are so many people ready to receive grace and mercy, but there are few workers who can show and lead the way.

Application:
As a follower of Jesus, we should also be filled with compassion for those who are lost. It is not enough that we sympathize with them or be filled with sorrow. We need to act so that these people's suffering may be alleviated. When Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, I believe He was saying it with a sense of urgency. As Christ's disciples, we should also be more involved in reaching out those people that the Lord wants to save. We must remember that the Lord wants to save everyone and that He does not want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to repent (2 Peter 3: 9). So as God's appointed ones, we need to request the Lord our God to send more workers, including ourselves, to do the work of evangelism.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for your gift of salvation. Through your loving grace and mercy, I am able to enjoy constant fellowship with you. Lord, let there be opportunities for me to share your Word, so that the lost may be saved, so that those that need your grace may receive your grace and mercy. May I have the power to lead others into repentance, and may they know the God that I serve, my Lord and Personal Savior, Jesus Christ. AMEN.