A Devotional by Pastor Cesar Castellanos

Today’s Bible Verse

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.

Luke 10:33-34

Compassionate Love for the Needy

In this parable the Lord presents a picture of what has become the daily bread to many. Some people are victims of abuse and infidelity. Sadly, in the majority of these cases, the causes of these wounds have been the people closest to them. All the love and trust that was deposited in others, in one instant disappeared and they feel that their greatest treasure was taken from their hands. Jesus said that the function of the thief is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).

The last thing a wounded person wants to hear is blame from others for the situation. They don’t need the boots of executioners to step on them. Rather, they need the merciful hands of someone good that will pick them up. Jesus was that Good Samaritan that came to give us abundant life. He did everything through His blood. Just one drop of the blood of Jesus has power to heal the deepest wounds that could have touched our soul. When someone has a wound an antiseptic is needed in order to avoid infection. In the emotions it is the same way; it is necessary to disinfect with the right product. In the Word, it is represented by wine, which is a prototype of the blood of Jesus. By applying the blessed blood of the wounded body of Jesus, all bitterness, rage, anger, self-pity, and frustration will be absorbed (Revelation 12:11).

The other element is the oil. It represents the inner refreshing, the anointing of the Holy Spirit in our life. Some cuts are so deep that they have not been erased from memory and become a mark on the heart. They are stronger than physical wounds and hurt even more. For this, our God has a balm: the oil of His Holy Spirit. He wants to touch the most intimate fibers of our being, He wants to heal us. He comes to accompany us, console us, and tell us that we will not be alone. We will now enjoy His protection and His love. Jesus presented the Holy Spirit as the “Comforter.” In Greek, the word for “comforter,” is “Parakletos.” This Greek word means “someone who comes to our side to strengthen us.” The Good Samaritan took the wounded man, put him over his donkey, took him to the inn and took care of him. This means that God makes us participants of all His blessings and privileges by taking us to a church so that they can take care of us. The inn represents the cell group, the church, the place where leaders and Pastors will help us through our spiritual growth and strengthen our faith.

Something to Think About

Some time ago, the house of a very rich widow began to burn. While the firefighters tried to control the flames, they realized that the woman’s five year-old son was still in the house. There was no way to get to him. The stairs had fallen and his mother was already dead.

A man, who was passing by the place, saw the scene. He observed a tube beside the flames that reached the window where the boy was looking through. No one could touch the tube because it was too hot, but this man, courageously, slipped through the tube burning his hands, until he got to where the boy was, and saved his life.

A year and a half later, the courts were deciding who would qualify to adopt the boy. This decision would include who would become the administrator of all of the riches that the mother had left to the boy. Many tried to qualify by showing what they thought was necessary. They used their good track record, business, stability, and riches. But the boy approved of no one, until an unknown man walked into the court. He walked slowly with his hands in his pockets. The judge asked him about his credentials. To which he responded, “Your honor, I do not have riches nor businesses that allow me to compete with those aspiring to adopt this child.” The judge said, “Then what are you doing here? You should show some reason for wanting to adopt this boy.” The man said, “I only have these signs of selfless love.” As he said this, he showed his hands, they were totally burned and scolded. The boy recognized the man that had saved his life. With tears in his eyes, he ran to him and hugged him. This man was definitely the one to adopt him.

The love of Christ dwells in us and we should show that same love to all those who cross our path. Our reward will come from the Lord.

Prayer

“Sovereign God, thank You for the way in which You have ministered to my life through Your Word. I am so grateful because when I was in my greatest affliction You came to me and saw that I was wounded, naked, bloody, and nearly dead. You looked at me with eyes of mercy and gave me the Word of Life, and I believed it. I accepted the redemptive power of Your blood that healed all of the wounds of my soul. Then, you filled me with the balm of Your Holy Spirit and You also made me part of Your family. Lord, I thank You with all of my heart, Amen.”

Declaration

My life is the result of the Father’s expression of love, the power of the blood of his Son, and of the consolation of His Spirit.

Today’s Bible Reading

Our Bible Reading Plan gives 25 daily readings per month. There is no scheduled reading for today. You can use this time to catch up on any readings you may have missed, or read through previous passages again.