His Ways... Days 5... Hollie Sloss

Today's devotion... written by Hollie Sloss... is from Mark 6:34:

"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."

Today, Hollie gave a good reminder when things get busy. She is asking us to look at the verses from Mark 6 where Jesus has just heard the news of John the Baptist's death and the disciples are returning from missionary work. Things are crazy and loud and he wants to mourn and he wants to catch up with the disciples and there are the crowds. And what is Jesus' reaction: compassion.

She says... "Its usually about that time the phone will ring from someone in need, an email will arrive with some sad news or my children need a kind word or a teaching moment. Its in this moment I am reminded of Jesus and his circumstances of sorrow, weariness and desire for solitude and his choice to forgo that and reach out to those reaching out to him in need."

I need to be reminded of that often as well. It seems that I get into my day writing a lesson... making plans... putting together a newsletter... and I really get into a groove and then someone calls me on the phone with a request. Or the other direction, I would really like to have a quiet day to myself and there's an email there waiting for me. Often in those times, I confess, I want to avoid it and skip it and do what I want to do. But I too need to remember that that wasn't Jesus' habit. His habit was compassion.

Good thoughts.

Jim