Read Mark 3:1-6.
Do I Have A Cold And Hard Heart?
Jesus entered into the synagogue on the Sabbath and there was a man there with a withered hand. The Pharisees watched intently to see if Jesus would heal the man on the Sabbath so they could accuse him of breaking the law because they considered Jesus to be “working” on the Sabbath. Jesus was very aware of what they were doing and he called the man with a withered hand forward. Then he asked the Pharisees, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?” But they remained silent. Jesus was angered and grieved at their hard hearts.
Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand and he did as Jesus asked and he was healed. We have this man with the withered hand and Jesus is filled with compassion for him and desires to heal him even on the Sabbath. The Pharisees just stand by watching. They have no compassion for this man. Their hearts are cold and hard. Rather than be excited for this opportunity to see a man healed, they have hard hearts with an evil scheme to find some way to accuse Jesus of doing wrong. They will even join up with their enemies, the Herodians, in order to not just accuse Jesus but destroy his life.
How cold and hard is my heart? Think of the lonely or unpopular people sitting by themselves at church, at work, or wherever and we do nothing to invest into their lives.
Lord, there are people all around me with problems (physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual). Take away my cold and hard heart. Help me go outside of my comfortable peer group and outside my comfortable faith walk, and instill within me a new compassion so that I am willing to sacrifice even my social status. So that I am willing to go outside my comfort zone in order to help a person in need. Even on the Sabbath! Amen!
