Jesus – moved with compassion (2) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

When it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.
Matthew 14: 15.

Jesus - moved with compassion (2)
In our last meditation on this subject we saw what the Lord noticed among the multitude. Today we can read what the disciples saw there.

In the late afternoon Jesus was still speaking and healing. The disciples observed the situation. They eventually suggested inconsiderately that owing to the desolate surroundings and the lateness of the hour He should dismiss the company!

The disciples realised that they could not meet their responsibility for such a crowd of people and were prepared to let them fend for themselves as best they could. Their assessment of the situation was typical of selfish, self-satisfied people who show no thought for others who are worse off than themselves - an attitude that is commonplace in the western world around us today.

Would the Lord Jesus react so harshly in such a situation? He turned His attention from the multitude to His disciples to make them aware that, as followers of the Master, they, too, needed to show compassion on the poor, tired and hungry. But first it was necessary to reveal their inability to act without His presence and omnipotence. That great crowd had gathered to see Him, not the disciples, in the hope of benefiting from Him who alone grants blessing.

(to be continued on Monday)

Today‘s reading: 1 Kings 21: 1 - 15 · John 14: 1 - 11