COMPASSION ON THE MULTITUDE

Diana Kriesel

Monday, 3/1/10 – Numbers 28,29; Mark 8 – “COMPASSION ON THE MULTITUDE”

S—Mark 8:2 – “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat”

O- Whenever Jesus saw the needy multitudes, He was moved with compassion and wanted to help them. After listening to Jesus’ teachings for three days, they had nothing to eat. Jesus had compassion on them in their physical need and called the disciples’ attention to it. The twelve disciples were perplexed about feeding the crowd even after they had just been with Jesus when He had already fed a much larger crowd. The compassion of Jesus expresses our Redeemer’s unfailing love and mercy.

A – Even though the disciples had been with Jesus on other occasions when they had seen His compassion and concern for the weary and hungry people, they still didn’t get it. Jesus had to emphasize the need that was right in front of their eyes. I wonder how often we don’t get it; even when the need is right in front of our eyes. Over and over again we are presented with examples of the love and mercy and concern of Jesus, and yet sometimes we still miss opportunities to be compassionate.

P – Lord, we want to have the compassion that You have for people; whether it be a physical need, spiritual, emotional, financial or other, cause our eyes to see as You see, our hearts to have compassion like You do, and move us past the compassion to action.