Compassionate Grace

Turning once again to Mark 1 we find Christ at Peter’s house in the evening hours of the day.  He had healed the demon possessed man at the synagogue earlier in the day.  Then he had healed Peter’s mother-in-law. Then the crowds began to appear and he was busy healing them.  It had been a long day.  He had preached, gathered disciples, healed and healed some more.  Now in the evening of the day He was still at it.  There were no complaints on His part, only more ministering.

Henry Twells wrote a classic hymn about the care and gentle ministering of Jesus.  In “At Even, Ere the Sun Was Set” Twells outlined the care of Christ to the hurting and the great joy they had in receiving the grace of His ministry.  Then Twells presents the truth that we are not done with being needy today.  For five stanzas he lists the many ills of mankind expanding on the ideas presented in his third verse, “O Savior Christ, our woes dispel; for some are sick, and some are sad; and some have never loved Thee well, and some have lost the love they had.”  From physical illness and emotional illnesses and spiritual illnesses Twells called upon Christ to cleanse and heal. 

Christ, of course, can do it all.  He did it all outside Peter’s door.  He did it all in the highways and byways of ancient Galilee and Judea.  But He also sent out 70 others to do it as well.  He is still sending today.  He is sending His people, His church to demonstrate His grace to a world that is still sick and hurting.  As the 70 who went out returned to Jesus He told them that He had watched Satan fall as they ministered.  When He sends us, we do not go out alone.  He goes with us.  He heals through us.  His grace extends out from our lips and hands and lives to those who are sick with illness of body, mind and spirit. 

Twells reminds us in his last stanza that Christ still can do what He always did.  “Thy touch has still its ancient power. No word from Thee can fruitless fall; hear, in this solemn evening hour, and in Thy mercy heal us all.”  We go today in the same power of the same Christ.  We go to extend His grace of caring that we might extend the grace of His saving.  It is evening and the day of His appearing draws near.  Let us extend His grace while it is still today.  

For quality inspirational, educational, and fictional Christian books visit www.davidccraig.net