[Image: Head of Christ, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1648]

FIRST GLIMPSE: Moved by Compassion (Matthew 9:36-38)

What do you remember about the important people in your life? Does one memory stand out more than any others? I remember my grandmother’s prayers. They always started the same way: Our gracious Heavenly Father, as we come to you, we come in Jesus’ name. We come thanking you for the day… Those simple words are burned into my memory. They were part of her, and they have become part of me.

One of the best things about Scripture is the “inside look” it gives us into the most intimate moments of our Savior’s life, revealing the things by which we should “remember Him.” For instance, Matthew 9:36-38 shares the Savior’s reaction as He gazed over the crowds following Him, the people He had come to earth to save.

He was moved by their need (36). When Jesus looked at the throng, He was moved by what He saw. This Greek word describes the strong emotion He experienced when He looked beyond the faces and saw searching, hungering souls. His compassion saw their hearts, and it broke His. I’m sure it hurt Him to look into their faces, knowing many would reject Him, the answer to their deepest need.

I’m glad we serve a Savior who is moved by our need, a God who understands our pain and knows what is missing from our lives. We are no different from that throng: people who fainted, harassed by cares, doubts, guilt, and fear; people scattered abroad, lost, and searching blindly for light in a dark world; sheep without a shepherd longing for direction, purpose, and meaning. They were confused, trapped, and headed for destruction. When He looked out at the crowd stretching across the Judean hillside, I wonder if Jesus saw the flow of humanity throughout history—untold millions of people in the same lost condition. Without true life, without meaning, without hope. And, Jesus was moved by their need.

He was motivated by the urgency (37). Jesus described the multitude as a field of ripe fruit, ready for harvest. One thing every backyard farmer knows about ripe fruit: if left unharvested, it will wither and rot on the vine. The harvest time of men’s lives is very short: the average 72 years is only a moment compared to eternity. And, if Jesus saw a great harvest then, what does He see today as the world’s population nears 8 billion, and the vast majority of people will live without hearing the name of Jesus? Workers continue to be in short supply, and men and women are still dying without Christ. The time is short. The number of lost souls is staggering. And Jesus knew it.

With the multitudes in mind, Christ turned to His disciples and, with one sentence, gave Christians a mandate for the ages: pray for workers. No matter who you are or where you live, no matter your age or physical condition, you can always pray for God’s work around the world.

Remember my grandmother’s prayers? In her final years, when her mind was confused and she became completely dependent on others for care, she never stopped praying. And, if she were still here today, I would choose her prayers for me over all the money in the world. Why? Because God answers prayer.

What do you think when you look at people around you today? Are you aware of their needs or simply irritated because they don’t have it all together? Let’s pray together for eyes like Jesus, eyes that see eternal souls made in the image of God. And, let’s pray for a heart like His, willing to give all to make an eternal difference.

About the Columnist: Eric K. Thomsen is managing editor of ONE Magazine. Email: eric@nafwb.org.