Daily Devotion, September 15, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Matthew 9:9-13.

On the day of this writing, the rain is pouring as the remnants of Hurricane Ida pass over Chattanooga. At the same time, many people driving utility vehicles, first responders, rescuers in boats, helicopters and high-water trucks, Red-Cross volunteers, FEMA, UMCOR and other rescuers are quickly on their way to help the people along the Gulf Coast. There’s an analogy here. In Matthew 9:12, Jesus says, “’It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.’” The people responding to the call to go and help, perhaps understand what Jesus was and is saying!

Matthew 8:28-Matthew 9:34 gives us stories of Jesus’ physically and mentally healing eight individuals. Woven within these stories is the story of Jesus’ healing of Matthew’s need for a divine purpose and to be welcomed into God’s kingdom. And within the story of Matthew’s calling is Jesus' response to offer healing to the Pharisees’ own self-righteous blindness of God’s mercy.

Matthew was a tax-collector. Jesus knew that Matthew had lost his way in life and was hated by many. The crowd Matthew hangs out with and Jesus chooses to eat with is criticized by the Pharisees.

Jesus brings healing, not only in physical ways, but in every way. Rev. Debi Thomas says, “Restoring the lonely, the isolated, and the ostracized to a healthy community is healing too.“ Jesus’ way of healing brings wholeness. “To be made whole” is a deeper understanding of the word, “salvation”. Yes! Jesus’ offer of healing and “being made whole-salvation” is offered unto all people.

Personal Worship Option:

At the end of Matthew 9, Jesus has compassion for the crowds “because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” He says to his disciples, “’The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers for his harvest field.’”

This call is for us today, too. This is what God’s people are supposed to be doing. By God’s grace and mercy through the gift of Christ, we are offered salvation. We are given the gift “to be made whole.” When we respond to the call to offer Christ’s healing, wholeness, salvation to others, the irony is it brings healing to us, too. Dear Lord, thank you for your gift of salvation. Open our eyes to see others through your eyes of compassion and to respond. Amen.