Jesus help us to do the same. Amen!
TODAY’S VERSE
“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. – Now go and do the same.” Luke 10:33-34, 37 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes we make Christianity way too complicated.
Jesus illustrated the essence of following Him through this simple story.
He told of a Jewish man who was robbed, beaten and left by the side of the road.
You see Jesus was not impressed with the Jewish leadership of the day.
He did not care for their portrayal of Holiness.
Neither did He like their lack of love for those around them.
He used this story to challenge their mentality.
In the story, the first person to come upon the wounded person was a priest.
I am sure to everyone’s shock, Jesus said that the priest walked by the wounded man, leaving him there to die.
Perhaps filled with spiritual pride, the Priest felt the man was “unclean” and therefore unworthy of help.
Next, Jesus said that a Levite walked by the hurting man.
Perhaps a reason he walked by the dying man was to stay ceremonially “clean.”
He could not defile himself with the bleeding man so he too passed him by. Finally, an enemy of the Jews, a Samaritan, stopped and showed compassion on the hurting and wounded Jew.
The point Jesus was trying to illustrate was, “How did following God get so far from what God intended?
How did we lose the very heart of God?”
If we are to follow Jesus, then we must love those in need that we come in contact with.
James writes it this way, “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must take care for orphans and widows in their trouble.”
Today, as you walk on your own path to wherever you are going, what will you do for those in need?
Let us think of the “good Samaritan” and hear Jesus say, “Go and do the same!”
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me remember the story of the good Samaritan so when I see someone in need today, I will go and do whatever I can to help. AMEN
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
I will stop and help those in need.
Stop and visualize yourself in the place of the Good Samaritan.
You see someone on the road, hurt and in need of help.
Feel empathy rise in your heart.
Sense the need to do something and see yourself being led by God to help the person.
Feel the joy in knowing you made a difference.
Sense God’s pleasure in your obedience.
Now that you visualized it, do what Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”
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