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Inspirational article from Joanne Lowe

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DO WE REALLY CARE

“Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.”

2 Chronicles 30: 8, 9 King James Version

When Hurricane Katrina devastated so much property and killed so many people, the television and radio broadcasted almost continuous coverage of the horror and chaos, however in what seemed to be just a few short days in comparison to what those dear people had to endure, they stopped talking about it. For those precious people the process of rebuilding their lives was just starting.

I think many times we do the same thing to our loved ones and friends. There are people whose lives have been devastated by divorce, rebellious children and abusive spouses yet many times we do nothing to help them. We might be there for them when the crisis first happens but then we leave them all alone with the pain, horror and an agony in their hearts that is overwhelming and devastating to them.

Just as they fell asleep in the garden when Jesus asked them to pray and watch so we fall asleep when we need to be praying and caring for our loved ones and friends. We do have to go home and take care of our families, but we do not have to turn on the television. We can spend that time praying and weeping for our loved ones and friends.

I have thought about this many times and have never understood how they could have fallen asleep when Jesus was in such agony and despair. The answer is very clear; they didn’t love Him or care that He was hurting so badly. How that must have pierced the heart of our wonderful Saviour like someone had plunged a long sharp knife deep into His heart!

Do we really care when our friends are hurting? When I was in the mental hospital many years ago and laying under the bed because I was afraid to come out for fear of being hurt once again, a nurse I had never seen literally got on her hands and knees and crawled under the bed, took my hand and told me that she wouldn’t let anyone hurt me. This was a demonstration of the Love of Jesus in action!

Have you crawled under the bed emotionally with someone when he or she was in anguish and pain while the tears ran down his or her face as horror after horror flooded his or her heart? Do we really feel our loved ones and friends’ pain? Joyce Landorf, an author and speaker, says on one of her teaching tapes “Someone came up to me and said “Hi, how are you? I’ve got to run. Bye”. Joyce said “Well, that’s not enough! I need someone to put his or her arms around me and prove that God is working out all things for my good”.

Have you prayed for someone until you felt peace about the situation? Where is our compassion? Do we really care about people? More important than that, do we really care about making Jesus happy? Do we strive to put a smile on His face and joy in His heart by our actions and loving words to one another? Are we hugging people with the Love of Jesus?

Joanne Lowe
January 3, 2007

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