A Change of Plans

“A Change of Plans”

In Mark 6 Jesus wanted a day off. He and his disciples were so busy that he told them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place." So they got into a boat and sailed with Jesus to a place away from the crowds.

Call it a day off. Call it a vacation. Call it a staff retreat. Call it a day at the beach. They had a plan.

But the people saw them and ran along the shore to where they were going. When Jesus and the disciple arrived there, a crowd of people were already there. What did Jesus do?

"As he went ashore he saw the great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd." He spent the day teaching them many things, and then he did a great miracle and fed the multitude.

He had compassion.

When the compassion of God is what motivates us, compassion will often change our plans.

There are so many stories in the gospels about how people who needed healing interrupted Jesus. A leper knelt before him and said, "If you will, you can make me clean." Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him and said, "I will, be clean." . . . A father fell at Jesus feet and said, "My little daughter is at the edge of death, come and lay hands on her and make her well." And Jesus went with him. A woman in a crowd touched him. A blind man cried out to him. Ten lepers called to him.

Jesus teaches us to be people of compassion. But compassion has a way of interrupting our plans.

Compassion turns our lives into a marvelous adventure with God and with others.

Since Nancy and I started praying with people for healing about thirty years ago, we have had our plans get changed on so many occasions. We have found ourselves talking about Jesus and praying for people in many unexpected places. With Jesus, life has become an amazing, exciting adventure. Unexpected. Wonderful at times and heart breaking at times.