Moved With Compassion

 "Jesus was indignant" NIV.  "And Jesus, moved with compassion (KJV), stretched out His hand (ESV) and touched him, and said to him, "I will' be clean"  (ESV).  Mark 1:41 NIV, KJV, ESV.

The main motivating force here appears to be Jesus' indignation and His compassion.  He had lookd at the desperate leper, imploring and kneeling, asking for himself to be made clean.  Secondly, Jesus' willingness to do just that.  Thirdly, His capability and abilty to heal and make another clean.  This is what Jesus does.

Not everyone with ability and capability is willing to be motivated towards certain action. Jesus' pity and compassion, and no doubt love for all, gave that willingness 'to do something'.  In this case, to cleanse the leper.

Incidently, no one was supposed to touch a leper.  What's more, lepers were supposed to keep their distance from others and even broadcast that they were lepers and unclean if someone tried to approach them.  We can 'get this' because most of us went through the Covid-19 years having to do very similarly (see Leviticus 13 and 14).

They were likely miserable with their condition and because of the distance from others they had to maintain, would be lonely.  They wouldn't have felt another's touch in years.  Not to mention the additional fact that even if someone did touch them, they wouldn't be able to feel the touch anyway.

In light of this, it is so significant that Jesus reached out AND TOUCHED the man in order to heal him and make him clean.  I believe that the faith the leper man had in Jesus' being able to heal him was another huge motivating and contributing force in Jesus' willingness to heal.

This man's faith, combined with Jesus' compassion, brought healing.  If the man had never asked, he may not have received either.  So there are some combining factors, all in all.  Yet the verse,

"Ask, and it will be given you ..." (Matthew 7:7 & 8 ESV)

gives a word of caution to not treat Jesus as a genie or charm. The asking is not for getting materially or even necessarily physically.  Of greater import is to learn dependance on Jesus and to see and know His compassion.

When we ask, seek and knock, in faith, the Lord knows we mean business.  There may not always be the miracle cure we expect, but there will be something to receive, find, and that will be opened.  Jesus is our compassionate friend and Savior.  We can trust Him to ...

" ... stretch out His hand ..."

and give us what's needed in His perfect timing and according to His perfect purposes for our lives.

This is the emphasis I actually want to pinpoint here.  It is the fact of Jesus' compassion, which moved Him to "stretch out His hand."  It touches my heart and I feel gratitude towards Jesus.  It reminds me, that each of us can in faith, implore Him, even on our knees,  for what we so desparately need.  Then wait and see what He'll do.

Jesus, Friend unfailing, how dear you are to us.  What can we even say?  Your love never fails and neither does Your compassion.  Your mercies are new every morning.  We cannot say thank You enough.  But in gratitude from the inner sanctum core of our hearts we give You as heartfelt thanks as possible that You do reach out and touch us with Your everlasting hand.  Thank You, Jesus.  Your name is above all names.

                                                   ~  ERC  march 2026  ~

Basedon on Mark 1:41 KJV/ESV/NIV.

Sing, Compassion, along with Stuart Townend and Keith and Kristyn Getty.

Lord's Day Devotion - Praying & Singing

 "Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray.  Is anyone cheerful?  Let him sing praise" (James 5:!13 ESV).

Two very direct cause and effect actions can be observed from this verse.  If there's suffering, then pray.  If there's cheerfulness, then sing praise.

These are good reminders.  But I think, as followers of Jesus Christ, when we suffer sicknesses, or a sudden death of a beloved one or shocks of other impact, we do pray.  With a major happening occuring, our reflex is to pray.  At least I hope so.

Then there's the shower singers.  It's almost automatic.  Taking a shower seems to make many happy and cheerful and so they sing in the shower, as if the good cheer pours out of the shower head along with the cleansing water, and so one cannot avoid singing.  Ha, ha.

Apart from this, do any of you belong to a whatsApp chat group that prays and sings?  I do.  I'm very happy with this group.  I dare to say there are no spam messages.

When one of the group is hurting in some way, we pray.  When there is cause for joy, - well we may not sing together, but there is good cheer all around.  Some of the chat group members do share songs we can listen to on our own timing.  This is a very encouraging group that also knows how to build each other up in our Lord and faith.

As this article is meant for a Lord's Day devotion, we can bring our thoughts to Jesus' suffering.  He suffered, bled and died for us.  He bought our pardon and offered the gift of salvation to all who believe.

Jesus suffered but the disciples didn't seem to pray.  They were so bewildered, perplexed and scattered.  Some of the disciples went back to fishing.   Others walked dejectedly to Emmaus.  Some of the women were thinking a bit straighter and in their deep sorrow, went to Jesus' tomb.

But what could have shocked and befuddled them further then to see the stone rolled away and Jesus' body missing.  Then hope and joy arose despite the further wonderment, Jesus is alive,  He spoke and gave directions.

Alas, the women were not well believed, although hope was springing up.  Graciously, Jesus appears on the seashore for the fishermen, aong the road to the two Emmaus walkers and then to the gathering in the upper room.

Belief and unbelief commingle yet hope and joy spring up more.  We don't read that they began to sing but we can imagine the joy.

And when they watch Jesus ascend back into heaven, they don't crash again.  They worship.  This is a type of singing praise and praying.

When suffering comes there could be joy in the morning.  Prayers and praise singing can intertwine and lighten our hearts and strengthen our bonds with the Lord and each other.

As we partake of the broken bread and drink of the cup of wine in remembrance of Jesus' death and resurrection and of His securing our salvation; let's cheerfully sing praise and even if we are also praying through our tears and suffering.

Let's remember to pray and sing and give our thanks to Jesus.

Lord Jesus, we remember Your agonies that You suffered upon the cross on our behalf.  You gave Yourself, totally, for us, because You loved us.  You suffered and You prayed to Your Father in Heaven.  You did this for us.  Now we can sing praise, cheerfully, despite our feeling of sadness at what You had to endure for us.  Your suffering and pain brought us freedom from eternal suffering in Hell - the punishment that should have been ours.  You took it.  You bore it all, for us.  "Thank You" doesn't seem near adequate but it does come from our inner heart sanctums.  And now we sing praise in Your Name Lord Jesus.  Amen.

                                                 ~  ERC  March 2026  ~

Based on James 5:13 ESV. 

Sing, What A Friend We Have In Jesus, along with Lydia Walker and Be Thou My Vision, along with Josh Groban.

Ascribe Greatness

 "Ascribe ye greatness unto our God.  He is the Rock, His work is perfect.  For all His ways are judgment.  A God of truth and without iniquity ... Just and right is He" (Deuteronomy 32:3-4 KJV).

All God's ways are judgment, or "justice" as the ESV puts it.  God and His ways are noted here for their perfection, for His faithfulness and for being without iniquity.  He is perfect, therefore there is no iniquity.  So it follows that He is also "The Rock".

He is the Rock on which we can stand.  In all our life's storms when the breakers roar and smash upon us, our God is our Rock, Who helps us endure the buffeting.  We can trust Him because He is forever faithful.

This gives me the feeling of peacefulness as I can 'rest' and trust in Him.  That's so much reassurance.  We can repeat the verses to ourselves and even sing them as they have been set to a tune.

Abba Father, You are so good to us.  So good, kind, and faithful in all Your ways.  Your justice also envelops us and in You we can trust.  Thank You for Your immovable 'rock -ness' and Your immeasurable perfection.  You are great.  In Jesus' name we give You our praise.  Amen.

                                               ~  ERC  march 2026 ~

Based on Deuteronomy 32:3-4 (KJV).

Sing, Ascribe Greatness To Our God the Rock, along with Divine Hymns.

Called In To Question

 

Just because Peter was in a leadership role and especially one of the apostles, it didn't give him "diplomatic immunity".  He was still accountable to the leadership and congregation of believers.

The curve ball God had thrown at him of going to Cornelious the Gentile, explaining the message of Jesus to them was seen as a serious situation.  Yet good leadership allowed Peter to speak, explain and defend himself.  He spoke truth, as it had happened and how God had directed the appointment and rather had taken it out of his hands when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the new believers automatically, despite their ethnic backgrounds.

It was astonishing times for these Jewish brethren.  In the end, the 'tribunal'

 "fell silent".  

They also 

"glorified God." 

 They said,

"Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life"                     (Acts 11:18 ESV).

As one hymn puts it,

" ... to God be the glory, great things He has done ..."!

The humility exhibited by both Peter and the other apostles at this time can be noted.  The submission, not just to each other, but more importantly to what God had showed them through Peter's encounter with Cornelius.

So when "curve balls" come at us, let's not duck, rather deduce direction from God.  If it is legit, as directed by His Word and the Holy spirit, we need to pay attention and get into action.

When it is an individual in leadership being called into question, it's good to hear both sides of the story and not be too proud to speak nor to listen.

"Pride lurks behind all discord" (Alistair Begg).

Peter and the other apostles averted dissession and discord because they humbly listened to each other.  And it wasn't only because it was Peter speaking.  Rather, it had been God's hand of direction.  It's important to discern the difference.

May there be peace, harmony, humility and unity among God's people ... until He comes.

                                                  ~ERC  February 2026  ~

Based on Acts 11:1-18 ESV.

Sing, To God Be the Glory, along with Reawaken Hymns.

Book Review - The Bitter Chalice - By Sean J. Fitzgerald - Publication Date: 18 March 2026

 War is always bitter.  This book of the 1100's anals of the life and times in Ireland, Wales and with hints of England, have been well described.  Disputing over territory,  factions and loyalites easily made and easily broken seem to be the norm. Power plays and more, garner the pages often with coercion propelling heinious, graphic actions are enough to curdle the innerds of any potential reader who loves bloodletting and gore. At least, this is my opinion.

I was not expecting this and it left me cold.  I also found it somewhat difficult to follow the threads of who's who.  Part of this may be the point with all the switching and shifting allegieances.  I gave up keeping tract of it all.  I did feel sympathy for Aoife though.

All in all, this book 2 in the Hiboerno-Norman Chronicles has been well named - The Bitter Chalice.  It surely lives up to its name, I believe.

                                            ~  Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger ~

                                                    March 2026

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent to me by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads. 

Book Review - The Shopkeeper's Heartbreak - By Evelyn Hood - Publication Date: 16 March 2026

 Another hard-to-put-down work of historical fiction by Evelyn Hood; it's great.  Her story is very down-to-earth, a very plausible small town living scenario.  Her characters resonated with me:  their emotions and actions and reactions.  In my opinion, Hood keeps her characters true to form throughout, creating a cohesive whole.

The time frame is prior to, and the early days of, WWI.  There is the rich vs poor scene of sugar factory and wool factories owners and employees.  There are surging suffragettes, conscientious objectors; scoundrels; physical abuse; unfaithful husbands and more.  There are those who care and help too, Lessie being a typical example.

The Shopkeeper's Heartbreak breaks your heart when the story ends.  You will want more, I believe; at least, I did.  This is actually Book 1 in a series, so potetntial readers can take heart, I'd say.

                                           ~  Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger  ~

                                                             March 2026

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent to me by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read reveiw on Goodreads.

The Full Injunction

 No matter how old we get, life still throws curve balls at us.  It happened to Peter.

He was praying and fell into a trance.  In the vision he saw food considered unclean to Jews, being offered to him, with the command from a voice from Heaven to

 "rise, kill and eat."

  You can feel Peter's mortification.  He'd never once in his many years ever touched such food!

But the voice told him,

"What God has cleansed, that call not thou common" (Acts 10:15 KJV).

Enter Cornelius' men.  They stood knocking at Simon the Tanner's door looking for one Simon Peter.  These were Gentile men and considered anathema to the Jews.  In fact, the Jews and Gentiles hated each other.

Nevertheless, God had graciously prepared Peter for this divine appointment and Peter goes with the messengers to Cornelius'.  We know the story that Cornelius' and all who had been in his house that day, came to Christ through Peter's explanations.  They immediately received the Holy Spirit and then were baptized.

I note these because Peter didn't flinch much.  He obediently submitted to God's direction and leading.  It may well have cost him his pride and prejudice.  

I like to think that despite his character, he was humble.  He had grown in humility from his first days of following Jesus; thus, his obedience.

His actions brought the gospel to the Gentiles.  He spearheaded it even though Paul then took up the baton and became the main evangelist to the Gentiles.

Peter was't just reponsible to get Cornelius and household saved and baptized.  NO.  They invited him to

 "tarry certain days" (vs 48).

We aren't told how long that tarrying was, but Peter was still following Jesus' "great commission" to 

"make disciples of all nations, baptizing them ... and teaching them to obey/observe all that I have commanded you ..." (Matthew 28:18-20 KJV).

Peter didn't leave these new believers high and dry.  It's good to complete this injunction from Jesus.  It's very important to preach and to teach God's word in its fullness.  It's our responsibilty.

I know of one sister who was saved but then not taught in her church.  She got sidelined into a cult that is very systematic in it's indoctrination of their beliefs to its adherents.  Turns out, she was wanting solid teaching in the truth.  She wasn't taught the truth so now she has imbibed and been blinded by, false doctrine, taking it as gospel truth.

This is a crying shame to all of us believers who do not nurture new believers in the fear and admonition of the Lord (see Ephesians 6:4 KJV), nor build them up in their most holy faith" (see Jude 1:20-21 ESV).  Let's not have Bible Study session that are full of our own opinions and experiences.  Let's REALLY know the Lord through REALLY knowing His word and building a relationship with Him.  Then move forward in obedience to His word no matter your ethnic background.

May we each be convicted of our short-comings in this arena.  May we proactively rectify the situation as it comes to us, especially if there is potential prejucide or racism involved.  Ask the Lord to show you and help you.

                                                ~  ERC  February 2026  ~

Based on Acts 10 KJV/ESV.

Sing, In Christ Alone, alone with Hadleigh Church.