This is a guide for encountering Christ for yourself. You probably will need to set aside some time to be alone and uninterrupted. Use it any way you need. Don’t feel you have to be locked in to what I’ve written; follow the Spirit’s lead for you. I pray God will meet you and give you what you need.
Focus your mind and spirit on getting together with God…
Read Matthew 9:36 –
Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.
Jesus saw the people. He was aware of the people around him. He was giving them his attention. He was focused on the persons who walked by or who stood around or who sat before him. Think about Jesus right now being aware of you – attentive and focused on you…
Jesus felt compassion. This is a graphic word that’s root meaning is “intestines or guts.” It pictures a feeling that convulses you deep inside. Jesus was intensely moved with compassion, with concern and tenderness. Can you believe that he reacts this way for you? Meditate on Jesus caring about you deeply and intensely…
The reason Jesus felt such deep compassion for the people was “they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” The condition of the people’s lives reminded Jesus of a flock of sheep alone in the wilderness. Maybe they were wondering around lost and they have pushed through briars and fallen into gullies – the sheep are bruised, cut, and exhausted. Maybe they had been chased and attacked by wolves – the sheep are wounded and bleeding, collapsed to the ground and now easy prey. Jesus saw that the people were distressed – a word meaning “torn skin” – their minds and hearts are ripped and shredded. He saw that they were dispirited – this word means thrown to the ground – they were spiritually, psychologically, and emotionally beaten and weary.
Jesus does not pretend that everything is okay with us. He understands how life’s circumstances, people, and Satan have bruised and exhausted us. He gets what we have done to ourselves with our false beliefs, bad attitudes, poor choices, and sinful actions – I guess you can call it self-mutilation of our hearts and souls. How are you distressed and dispirited? Listen for the Spirit of God to speak his compassion for you…
Read John 10:11-15. Jesus said –
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
Jesus is the shepherd that the sheep are without. He is the Leader needed by the people who are distressed and dispirited. Meditate on Jesus being the Shepherd for you. (Part of this may be expressing your doubts and struggles about who Jesus is – if that’s where you are, it’s good to talk to him about it…) Express your trust in Jesus to be your Shepherd – to know you and lay down his life for you…
Read Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus said –
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Jesus invites you to himself for rest – recovery and healing. He asks you to take his yoke – to be connected to him by faith. He promises rest for your soul – deep inside, the real you will be tended and restored to life.
“The Message” translation puts these verses:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Lean into Jesus. With your wounds and weariness, rest in him. Receive his gentleness and grace…
