A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” (Mark 1:40-41 NIV)

Jesus was “Filled with compassion.” Another version says, “Moved with pity.” God Almighty is a God who is easily moved to compassion.  We don’t have to beg and urge and plead to get Him to pay attention to us.  Repeatedly throughout biblical history, He comes to the aid of any who are hurting, even when they haven’t yet asked for help.  The greatest example of this is the Cross itself, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…”

Too often I don’t run up to Jesus like this man and expect Him to even want to help me.  I think He’s too busy.  Or my problems aren’t significant enough.  Or perhaps He’s not even that interested, since He figures I can handle it myself.  Interesting word I use:  “Myself”.  Isn’t that just my independent thinking?  “Oh, I’ll be fine on my own.  You take care of your business, and I’ll take care of mine.”

Would I be part of the crowd in Mark 3:10– “…He healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him.” Would I press around Him to get healed?  Or would I think, “Nah, He won’t want to heal me.  Besides, it’s my own fault I’m ill.”

Why do I hesitate to believe God is easily moved to pity for me? Pity to know my pain of wayward sheep or my pain from failure to shepherd the sheep well.  Pity not to say, “You got yourself into this mess, so get yourself out.”  Pity to care about my physical pain.  Do I believe that He is easily moved to compassion?

Am I afraid to allow myself to receive His grace out of fear that I might give myself an excuse to sin or whine?  Or does pride stand in my way, unwilling to acknowledge my need for pity?

Our God LOVES to rescue. He IS love.  He HAS compassion.  Let Him be the God of all comfort and compassion. LET HIM IN!!

Psalm 103:13-14 says,  “As a father show compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.  For he knows our frame;  he remembers that we are dust.”

Lord, grant me grace to have that simple childlike faith that when I accidentally or even willfully “scrape my spiritual knees” I would run to you like the man in Mark 1 and like the crowd in Mark 3 and beg for your compassionate help. And then grant me grace to believe that you will be “filled with compassion” and will kindly help me in my hour of need.