Matthew – Fulfilled
When you see someone about to make a terrible mistake that will affect their lives forever, how do you feel? When you see people hurt and broken from life with seemingly no one to turn to because they believe in nothing, what does your mind think? What breaks your heart most? Is it seeing physically hungry people, watching broken, aimless people or the spiritually depraved who don’t know where to turn? Jesus shows us what specifically breaks his heart.
Matthew 9, The Message
32-33 Right after that, as the blind men were leaving, a man who had been struck speechless by an evil spirit was brought to Jesus. As soon as Jesus threw the evil tormenting spirit out, the man talked away just as if he’d been talking all his life. The people were up on their feet applauding: “There’s never been anything like this in Israel!”
34 The Pharisees were left sputtering, “Hocus-pocus. It’s nothing but hocus-pocus. He’s probably made a pact with the Devil.”
35-38 Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”
It isn’t physically ailing people or hurt and broken people that breaks the heart of God. Although he showed compassion in healing them, what broke his heart is that “like sheep, they had no Shepherd.” Jesus came to earth, sent from God, to seek and to save lost, broken, hurt souls. HE is the Shepherd for lost sheep. HE is the Savior of the world. Jesus reminds the followers later that the poor and needy will always be in the world that is broken with sin. What is most important is their soul! His broken heart for lost souls provokes an interesting response from our Savior and Lord, “On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”
So, now, what breaks our hearts? We also have the poor and needy, the broken and lost living around us and all over the world (as predicted we would always have by Jesus and prophets before him), but what is most important? As we look out over the world, what breaks our hearts? Isn’t it past time to be “On our knees”, praying for help to point people to Jesus who saves, no matter what situation in life they are in? The greater mercy and compassion to show to others is the Savior, Jesus Christ! The Bread of Life eternal! The Living Water that quenches our thirst forever! Always share what you have been given with others, but share Jesus as Lord, first and forever. HE is the reason for our being and doing.
Dear Heavenly Father, This passage in Your Word provokes our minds and stirs the fiery embers of our heart once more. I pray Paul’s prayer to give me opportunity, words to say and the boldness to say them in the right way at the right time in the right Holy Spirit, seasoned with wisdom. Thank you, Lord for this message for my own heart today. You are my Savior, my Shepherd, and my Lord.
In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.
