Today’s devotion was Matthew 9:35-38.
“35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
38 “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38. (Emphasis added.).
The last three devotions are titled: ” ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE’ “, “Gentleness”, and “Compassion: ‘Freely you received, freely give.’ “. One of the themes of Matthew 9 is compassion. In the following chapter, we read the command of Jesus: “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘he kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” Matthew 10:7-8. (Emphasis added.).
We may have the truth, but do we have grace? “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17. Are we like Jesus Christ?
“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.
“But, I am the elect!”
“Oh. So, where is your name written in the Bible? Have you read the Book of Life and seen your name?”
Let us follow Peter’s advice. “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.” 2 Peter 1:5-11. (Emphasis added.).
We can come back to God and confess: “I am not very compassionate. I am not very generous. I am not very loving. Help me!” God can put that compassion, generosity, and love into our heart.
We can see those who are good at being compassionate, generous, and loving, and we can encourage them. It is amazing what a little encouragement can motivate others to do!
We can pray that God sends out workers into His harvest as stated in our Scripture for today.
In conclusion, here is the summary. “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Galatians 6:10
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 