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 beauty of her caring heart, for she is truly a lady who understands love. She listens deeply to the true heart, and does not judge on past actions alone. In fact, she does not judge at all, but just reaches out with humility and forgiveness. She knows that even the heart that has wandered hurts. She does not ask where the wounds came from, and judge the worthiness of the wounded. She simply sees the wounds, refuses to pass by on the other side of the road, and reaches out to give what she can toward healing. She calls. She writes. She shows hospitality. She encourages. She prays. And she even talks straight when the time is right. She is a friend. She is a true neighbor. She gives her 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 her a taste today of the reward you have stored up for her… an extra dose of your blessing … something special just for her. May she know how deeply those she reaches out to are touched. May she know they will never be the same because of her. May she know that she is making a difference. And may she know how rare her 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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