Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Jesus Cares

LUKE 4:14-21
Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:  
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."  
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Lord Jesus,
you care.
Your care is expressed beyond our doubts
in your living,
in your suffering,
in your healing,
in your challenging,
in your calling,
in your lifting up,
in your dying,
in your forgiving,
in your silent grave,
in your defeating death and sin,
in your rising to new life,
in your ascending,
in your constant interceding for us,
in your loving.

While we your followers waste
our energies fighting about
who's right and who's wrong,
who's in and who's out,
who's righteous and who's unclean, etc...
all the while people, your children, anguished souls
are suffering...
suffering in the silence of mental illness--
you care and comfort the mentally ill
suffering in addiction --
you care and help the addict to change
suffering alone in loneliness and despair --
you care and are a friend to the friendless
suffering in broken relationships --
you care and reconcile us to one another
suffering in apathy --
you care and push us from complacency to compassion
suffering in poverty --
you care and give of your very self
suffering hunger --
you care and feed thousands
suffering in violence --
you care and are the prince of peace
suffering as refugees --
you care and travel with them providing hospitality along the way

Lord, teach us
to care like you do.
May our righteousness
be like yours
a righteousness of compassion and caring.
Amen.

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