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But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when
he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his
wounds. Lk10:33-34a When reading the gospels it should become very clear, quite early on, if we are honest, that we do not have the stuff it takes to live out the gospel. I remember when I first started reading the gospels how looking at the life of Jesus I knew that I did not have what Jesus had: his love, his power, his compassion, his wisdom. Reading the gospel created in me a need which I did not know I had: the need to have the very love of God inside of me. This Samaritan had compassion inside of him. The priest and the Levite did not. If I am honest with myself, I probably do not have that kind of compassion within myself either. It takes God to give me that kind of compassion. It takes God to satisfy the need which he reveals to me as I read his word. When I realize that I do not have what God requires of me and that I have not lived from this place of love, my need is to repent and ask Jesus into my heart. This is an act of faith. I have begun to understand in my spirit that all things are received from God by faith. If I lack the love of God, then by faith I repent and ask for it. Let me say this again. If I come to realize that I lack the love of God, not that I lack love of God, but I lack the very love that God has for me and for all people, then I need to repent and ask for it by faith. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience, and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Rm5:3-5 It is God, not we by self-effort, that enables us to have, receive, and move in the love of God. Keeping the requirements of the law by will power will not achieve the compassion that the Samaritan had. The law will not tell us how to act in love. Only by recognizing our lack and our need for it, and by faith, receiving it, can we move in the compassion of Christ. Our works of righteousness will not gain for us the very love of God nor can we earn it. God has concluded all under sin that he might have mercy on all. The Samaritan had the compassion of God. He did not act according to the law or what was required of him, but rather he acted above and beyond the call of duty. Our duty is to keep the law. Our goal is to love with the very love of God. If we love like that we will not only fulfill the law, we will exceed its requirements. "Except your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Mt5:20) "The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing of a better hope did; by which we draw nigh to God" (Hb7:19) Let us pray for an awareness of our own spiritual state and what our needs are. That is the beginning of change. Then when we have repented for not doing what God would have us do, let us repent and ask in faith. Believing what we ask of God he is able to perform. Then let us act in faith and move in the very love of God. Amen. |