Mercy ….the Good Samaritan…

 

Mercy…and the Good Samaritan….

In 2019, I was honored and humbled to visit Israel with family and friends…a whirlwind trip with whirlwind stops, explanations, history…I still go back to those pictures I took, to places we visited, to the words spoken to sort through impressions made and what God was teaching…in the simple and complex…I look for pictures to tell a story…

One such stop was “The Good Samaritan Church “, a traditional spot of the story of the Good Samaritan…dry, dusty, non-descript,  little vegetation, a bit deserted, sitting along the road… a few local looking people standing about, a puppy,in desperate need of food, looking for a handout… the puppy, kicked away from the others, seeing us, another potential food supply, ran over eagerly looking for food, even a pat on the head…

This pup, such a visual of the place we were visiting, needed that mercy shown by the Good Samaritan. Someone to care, to dress its wounds, to be shown compassion, to give it food, to pay the price of its care…instead of beaten, kicked and thrown aside for dead…mercy…

Mercy is used throughout the Word…and Jesus spoke of it in this story of the Good Samaritan…an example of how we should act toward others…as God has shown us, His mercy…

I have often wondered what happened to that puppy…was he there just for that lesson to us?…did he get the care he needed?…was he my visual to remind me time and time again of my need for mercy and my need to show it?…only God knows the answers…

But, thank YOU….

 “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.

Zech.7.9

 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. 

They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 

A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 

So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. 

Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 

The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 

‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke.10.25-37

 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Neh.9.31

 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;the Lord accepts my prayer.

Ps.6.2,9

 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.And what does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercyand to walk humbly with your God.

Mic.6.8

 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Rom.12.8

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2Cor.1.3-4

 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Eph.2.4-5Eph.2.8-10

 …..Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Jas.2.13b

 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Jas.3.17

(Saturday, May 25, 2019- another reference to this same story..)