The love and the compassion of Jesus for the hurting, harassed, and helpless.

Do you realize how much Jesus loves you?

You may be lost, bruised, or battered. You may be walking in darkness, full of hurt and pain.

I want you to see a beautiful picture of Jesus’s love and compassion for people.

In Matthew 9:35-38 it tells us that, “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

I want you to see the love and kindness of Jesus. When Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages and saw the crowds, he noticed every detail of their lives. He sees all. He knows all. He sees through the fragile cobweb of your flesh and bones. He knows the real you. 

When Jesus looked out at the crowd, he saw their hurt and pain. He saw their stress and heartache, their worries, and their fears, and when he saw the helpless and the lost, it broke his heart. When he saw the inner struggles and conflicts, he was moved with compassion. His heart broke when he saw how harassed and confused people were. 

You matter to God. He made you one of a kind. There is no one quite like you. He created you, and he does not make junk. You may feel like a failure. Your life may be a mess, but he wants the best for you. He hates seeing people in bondage. He loves to comfort and heal. He loves to bless his children. 

Whenever Jesus walked the earth, he always brought Good News to those who were desperate. When he saw the sick, bound and captive, he brought healing, breakthrough, and restoration.

He has not changed. Jesus Christ is still the same today. What he did in Bible times he still does today. He is the “Same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Jesus is the good shepherd

You may feel helpless, or even hopeless. Jesus is the great shepherd of the sheep. 

Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along the right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Jesus is the good shepherd. He wants you to live in peace. He loves to renew, refresh, and revive. He can restore your soul. He wants to anoint you with the oil of joy. He is with you. He wants to be your protector and comforter. He wants to lavish you with his goodness and blessing.  

Jesus told us, “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.” (John 10:14)

He wants an intimate walk with you. 

Jesus also told us that he is the “gate for the sheep.” “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.” And that although the “thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” he came to bring you “life, and life more abundantly.” (John 10:7-10)

Again, Jesus told us, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me.” (John 10:27-28)

Are you hurting? Are you in pain?

There was a man named Jabez. His name literally meant “pain”. He had caused his mother great pain, so she named him “Pain”, with a capital P. Everyone knew him as “Pain”. I don’t know if he felt inferior, or if he was traumatized by hurt, but one day Jabez had enough, and he cried out to God, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” (1 Chronicles 4:10)

Jabez handed his hurt over to God. He asked God to BLESS him. He basically asked God to set him apart and pour out his underserved and unlimited blessing on his life.  

Jabez also asked God to ENLARGE HIS TERRITORY, basically to increase his influence and to empower him to prosper. 

Jabez also asked God to LET HIS HAND BE WITH HIM. He was asking God to place his hand of abundant and undeserved favor on his life. 

 Jabez also asked God to KEEP HIM FROM HARM AND PAIN, so that he could be free from pain. He also asked God to help him not cause anyone else pain. 

The Bible says that Jabez was an honorable man in God’s eyes, and that “God granted his request.” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

Call on Jesus.

Jesus, our good shepherd, also told us, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

Jesus also said, “Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” (John 16:24)

If you are broken or in pain, cry out to God. Surrender your life and burdens to God. Ask God to bless you and enlarge your territory! Ask God to place his hand of favor on your life. He can bring healing and restoration to your life. Ask God to protect you from harm and pain. He can heal up your broken heart. He can set you free. Ask God to bless you, so that not only will you be blessed with God’s supernatural provision, but that you will be a great blessing to others, that God brings across your path. 

God’s word tells us, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

If you will…

• Humble yourself,
• Pray,
• Seek God,
• Turn from your sin,

God promises that he will…

• Hear our prayers,
• Forgive our sin,
• Heal our life. 

That is a picture of God bringing complete healing, restoration, and breakthrough to our lives.

Surrender your life to God. Give him your hurt and pain. Consecrate your life to Jesus. He is full of love and compassion. 

“The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.” (Psalms 145:8-9)

The love of God

Do you realize how much God loves you? 

God made a way for all people to find forgiveness so that they can come back into a relationship with God and share eternity with him.

“For God so loved the world (YOU) that He gave his one and only Son (JESUS), so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

God sent Jesus to die on the cross. He paid the full price for sin so that we can be reconnected to God.

Even if you have messed up, or fallen away, you can call on Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.  

The Bible tells us that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

No matter what you have done, or where you find yourself today, the good news is that you can invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. He saves. He forgives. He sets free. 

Humble yourself before God. Repent. Turn from sin. Turn to God. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

If you want to surrender your life to Jesus and experience His mercy, grace, love, and compassion, you can call on Jesus right now… 

Dear Lord Jesus, I need you. I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

If you want to start or restart your walk with God, click here to pray a simple prayer we have for you.