19/11/2025
HE IS COMPASSIONATE FOR THE SICK
Matthew 14:14
โWhen Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.โ
John the Baptist had been put in prison by Herod because he openly criticized him for taking his own brothersโ wife. The bible says that Herod wanted to kill John but was afraid of the people.
However, at his birthday after being impressed by the dancing of Herodiasโ daughter, he pledged to give the girl anything she could name, up to half the kingdom. After talking to her mother, she chose the head of John the Baptist as a present. This is how John the Baptist was killed.
So, after learning of Johnโs death Jesus was greatly affected such that he sought a solitary place where he could mourn his relative.
But just when his boat had landed, he was met by a great multitude and was moved with compassion and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:4 reads, โWhen Jesus went out, He saw a great crowd and was moved with compassion and healed their sick.โ
If this was me, I could have asked the disciples to tell the crowd that I am not attending to anyone for the next couple of days as I am mourning my cousin. I would have asked the crowds to imagine how it felt to lose a loved one and still find the power to work. I would have taken a break.
But Jesus was clearly of a different stock; he weighed the pain of ignoring the sick against the pain of losing a loved one and found it more painful to ignore the multitude. Instead of sending them away Jesus immediately, he attended to their needs. Even after healing their sick Jesus went on to feed them. You remember the story of the 5,000 men that Jesus fed with only five loaves and two fish? This is the same crowd.
Beloved, Jesus was compassionate for the sick. As you pray for your healing know that you are praying to a loving and compassionate God who understands what you are going through and is willing to ignore His own pain for your comfort and healing.
