“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them as he healed their sick.”
Matthew 14:14
It sure is hard to get over the past isn’t it? Someone has wronged you in some way and it hurts deep. I try to remember the hurt Jesus felt many times, not just in the end when he was paying the price for all sin, but when he went town to town giving the accounts of the Old Testament and telling of the future to come; and the people said mean things or spit in his face. I remember as a child younger than 3, living in the gray house in Houston, there was a family with many kids and chickens living behind us. I wanted to go play with them so I went over there and the kids started throwing chicken feed at me. I ran home and I never went back. It really hurt me and the feed as it hit me didn’t feel good either. I cried and cried; all I wanted was to play and have fun maybe make some new friends. I don’t remember how long we lived there but I know I never tried making friends with the family behind us.
In this chapter of Matthew, which I love, it begins telling us of how John the Baptist was imprisoned and then beheaded. In the verse previous to 14, Jesus had just found out of the calamity of his cousin. He withdrew to find solace and solitude and to pray. Sometimes we are the same, just needing that quiet time to be with God after a tragedy has occurred. As Jesus went off in the boat alone many people caught wind of him leaving and they traveled by foot getting to where he would be. The last thing Jesus probably wanted was a crowd, if he really wanted to be with the crowd of people he could’ve stayed where he was. As he landed he saw the people and had compassion on them and began to heal the sick. As he was healing them one by one, I know he saw their past and present but overlooked that because they needed a healing. He also overlooked their future. Of those he healed, some would turn their back on him and would cry out “Crucify Him!” Yet Jesus had compassion on them; he loved them enough to forgive their past, their present and overlook their future.
Just after this passage of scripture Jesus feeds them, more than 5,000. Again he has compassion on them remembering how exhausted he is after his long day of hardship with a death in the family, not to mention the crowds that just won’t leave him alone to have some peace. He now wants to feed them so when they leave they won’t be hungry and nothing else will happen to them on the long journey home.
The next section of scripture of Chapter 14 takes us to Jesus telling the disciples to go ahead in the boat as he dismisses the crowd. The disciples are in the boat and the wind picks up and the waves begin to roll and the boat is thrashing back and forth with the waves. The men are scared and full of fear then as if that isn’t enough they see a GHOST on the water coming towards them! Immediately Jesus calls out to them “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Hearing this Peter says if this is really you then call me out of this boat. And Jesus does. Knowing what we know about Peter; 1)we know he loses faith and sinks and 2) he denies Christ 3 times even AFTER Jesus tells him he will do it, Jesus still has compassion on him and doesn’t toss him aside because of his past, present or future.
We ask ourselves why Jesus doesn’t give up on us as a people or as individuals. And in verse 33 we can see why. It says that those that “were in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” It is for the unbelievers to witness the fullness and glory of God. How can we win the lost if things don’t happen in our lives? If we are never to be forgiven then how can we tell of the grace and mercy of God? It is in these tough times we are tested and we learn the character of God. It is in these times we are to put on what we learn of him. It’s like a lady buying new clothes or a man buying new tools; you don’t make the purchase thinking you’ll never use them you make the best effort to use what you purchased. I try to wear that new outfit immediately. And it’s the same way with what we learn from God we are to add to our knowledge what we have learned and USE IT!
In the same manner we are to live as Christ lived. We will be hurt and ridiculed but we can’t remember the past or the present and overlook the lost and dying world around us. We must overlook their past and present and help them have a life eternally worth living. Just as Jesus did so long ago and continues to do. It is what we are all called to.
I hope this encourages you to forget what we know of someone to help them along their way to salvation. For those that are saved that fall, forget the sin and give a hand to your brother /sister in Christ that’s exactly what Christ does, he doesn’t kick the dirt in their face as they are down. If you are the one who is lost accepting Jesus as your Savior is like saying you’re A, B, C’s. A- Admit you are a sinner and need Jesus ~ Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” B- Believe Jesus is God’s son ~ Romans 10:9-10 “”That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” C- Confess with your mouth you are saved ~ Romans 10:11 “it is with your mouth you confess and are saved.” Then go tell the world!
Much love & God bless you all ~ Tina
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