Your Daily Crossroad
Someone to Touch
And he put forth his hand, and touched him . . . (Luke 5:13)
Commuters on a Canadian Metro train witnessed a heart-moving conclusion to a tense moment. They watched as a 70-year old woman gently reached out and offered her hand to a young man whose loud voice and disturbing words were scaring other passengers. The lady’s kindness calmed the man who sank to the floor of the train with tears in his eyes. He said, “Thanks, Grandma,” stood up, and walked away. The woman later admitted to being afraid. But she said, “I’m a mother and he needed someone to touch.” While better judgment might have given her reason to keep her distance, she took a risk of love.
Jesus understands such compassion. He didn’t side with the fears of unnerved onlookers when a desperate man, full of leprosy, showed up begging to be healed. Neither was He helpless as other religious leaders were—men who could only have condemned the man for bringing his leprosy into the village (Lev. 13:45–46). Instead, Jesus reached out to someone who probably hadn’t been touched by anyone for years, and healed him.
Thankfully, for that man and for us, Jesus came to offer what no law could ever offer—the touch of His hand and heart.
Father in heaven, please help us to see ourselves and one another in that desperate man—and in the merciful eyes of Your Son who reached out and touched him. Amen.
As I read this I couldn’t help but stop and think about those in my life who just need a touch, a hand extended when no one else will and today I will be more open to take a risk of love for those I don’t even know. Use me today Lord and even in those moments when that love may be rejected, help me to stand firm and continue to love and remember, Love can build a bridge.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Luke 5:12-16
Expect and Extend Mercy
When I complained that a friend’s choices were leading her deeper into sin and how her actions affected me, the woman I prayed with weekly placed her hand over mine. “Let’s pray for all of us.”
I frowned. “All of us?”
“Yes,” she said. “Aren’t you the one who always says Jesus sets our standard of holiness, so we shouldn’t compare our sins to the sins of others?”
“That truth hurts a little,” I said, “but you’re right. My judgmental attitude and spiritual pride are no better or worse than her sins.”
“And by talking about your friend, we’re gossiping. So—”
“We’re sinning.” I lowered my head. “Please, pray for us.”
In Luke 18, Jesus shared a parable about two men approaching the temple to pray in very different ways (vv. 9–14). Like the Pharisee, we can become trapped in a circle of comparing ourselves to other people. We can boast about ourselves (vv. 11–12) and live as though we have the right to judge and the responsibility or the power to change others.
But when we look to Jesus as our example of holy living and encounter His goodness firsthand, like the tax collector, our desperate need for God’s grace is magnified (v. 13). As we experience the Lord’s loving compassion and forgiveness personally, we’ll be forever changed and empowered to expect and extend mercy, not condemnation, to others.
Lord, please keep us from falling into the trap of comparing ourselves to others. Mold us and make us more like You. Amen.
When we realize the depth of our need for mercy, we can more readily offer mercy to others.
Another devotion that hit so close to home. I was just having this exact conversation with my husband yesterday. I myself struggle with allowing social media and my opinion of the “sins” and “lies” of others to effect my thoughts and in return I allow bitterness and frustration to take root in my heart and mind and my husband asked me one simple question, what does it profit your soul? I had to pause for a moment, I wrestled with the honest truth to that simple question and I in return responded, nothing, it profits me nothing. It allows the enemy an avenue to use me to gossip, weather I’m “gossiping” to someone else or it’s just in my head, it’s still a thought and gossip should have no place in my life. Just as the devotion stated today, when I give place to that, I am sinning. Empower me today, Lord, to expect and extent mercy, not condemnation, to others. It’s your place to judge and my place to love. Finally, in finishing this, my husband reminded me of a scripture yesterday that came resounding back to me once I read this today and I want to leave you with this scripture to ponder. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36)
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Luke 18:9-14
Let Honor Meet Honor
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 6:1)
I’ve always been impressed by the solemn, magnificent simplicity of the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. The carefully choreographed event is a moving tribute to soldiers whose names—and sacrifice—are “known but to God.” Equally moving are the private moments of steady pacing when the crowds are gone: back and forth, hour after hour, day by day, in even the worst weather.
In September 2003, Hurricane Isabel was bearing down on Washington, DC, and the guards were told they could seek shelter during the worst of the storm. Surprising almost no one, the guards refused! They unselfishly stood their post to honor their fallen comrades even in the face of a hurricane.
Underlying Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 6:1–6, I believe, is His desire for us to live with an unrelenting, selfless devotion to Him. The Bible calls us to good deeds and holy living, but these are to be acts of worship and obedience (vv. 4–6), not orchestrated acts for self-glorification (v. 2). The apostle Paul endorses this whole-life faithfulness when he pleads with us to make our bodies “a living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1).
May our private and public moments speak of our devotion and wholehearted commitment to You, Lord.
Grant me the strength this day, O Lord, to persevere, to return honor to Your name where I am serving. My desire is to give myself in selfless devotion because of Your love for me. Amen.
The more we serve Christ, the less we will serve self.
Wow! This has to be shared, over and over. I finally had a moment to pause today and read this, wow, what truth! May my private and public moments speak of my devotion and wholehearted commitment to Him!
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 6:1-6
A Costly Cross
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? (Luke 9:23-25)
Living well comes at a great cost, but so does living poorly. There is a price to pay and a sacrifice to be made for every decision in life. These costs vary, from something as mundane as a speeding ticket, to something as great as the loss of friends or familial ties (Luke 12:53).
Following Jesus is costly. In fact, that word falls short to describe the depth of sacrifice required in walking after him. Taking up a “cross” would not have been the sanitized allegory to Jesus’ original hearers that it can be to us today. The cross took everything from men. It was a torturous end to human life. It was not meant to merely punish, but to kill. In fact, the legacy of the cross lives on even in our language, as the word excruciating literally means “from the cross”. A pain so intense, a loss so tremendous, it had to be associated with the worst death a human could die. This phrase cannot be glazed over, it cannot be brushed aside.
There is a reality here we must rediscover; following Jesus Christ means death. And, though death costs much, it is the price of eternal life. Save your life and follow Jesus today.
When I initially read, following Jesus Christ means death, I thought, well that’s a terrible way to look at it but then as I pondered what it was saying I realized yes, following Jesus Christ does mean death, death to the old man, death to sin that held me captive, death to so many things and yet life eternal with Him. What a mighty God we serve. He chose me!! He chose you, will you choose Him today?
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Luke 9:23-25 & Romans 12:1-2