9-2-2026

Good Morning!

     Matthew 9:39; “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

     As World War II came to an end in Europe and the Allied forces moved into German held territory, the Allied armies came upon places that would be burned into the world’s psyche, places like Dachau, Buchenwald, Treblinka and Auschwitz.  As the allied soldiers began to try and help the emaciated and suffering prisoners, many of the soldiers became physically sick as they looked on at the conditions under which the prisoners existed for many years.  They were so moved by the total helplessness of the prisoners that these battle hardened and weary soldiers, many who had witnessed great horrors, became sick as they tried to aid the prisoners.  The soldiers experienced compassion for the prisoners.

    The word compassion in the Bible literally means a deep-felt pain or reaction deep in the bowels or in your stomach.  It is when you see a person in such pain or need that you feel the pain in your most inward parts.  It is what Jesus felt when he looked at the crowds of people.  He looked at them and saw a people who were like sheep without a shepherd.  He looked at the people as sheep that had been harassed and helpless.  They were like sheep that had been attacked by wolves. They were cut up, bloodied, injured and lost.  They were beaten and defeated.  Jesus saw their pain and he was moved, deep down inside, he felt their pain and suffering and he acted.  He healed the blind and the lame.  He drove out demons and brought comfort to those who knew suffering and pain.

     Many people read this and see it as a blueprint for their own life.  We should have compassion on our brothers.  We should have the compassion of Jesus.  We should not judge how or why the injured person got where he got.  We should not focus on bad choices or bad decisions because when a person is in need of comfort, we simply must meet the need.  Whether the pain is self-inflicted from personal failures does not lessen the pain or the sorrow.  Many read this and think of how they should act and that is a good thing.  We should be quick to have compassion on those who are around us.  But this is not the crux of the story.

    The real crux of the story is that you and I are still the sheep.  You and I still desperately need Jesus’ compassion.  We sin daily and we put ourselves into situations that cause us nothing but pain.  We are our own worst enemy; we desperately need compassion and healing and Jesus provides it to us daily and freely.  He looks at you and he sees your pain and through his forgiving words and his loving kindness he takes the pain away.  Trust in his grace; trust in his mercy.

Father of mercy, in your wonderful mercy you gave your Son to have compassion on us.  You free us from the tyranny of the devil.  You gather us into your flock and you protect us.  Lead us by your gracious Spirit.  Lead us in peace and harmony.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

9-1-2026

Good Morning!

     Psalm 130:1; “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!”

     One warm spring morning the homeowner knew there was a problem when the shower stopped draining.  He called the local plumber who called the local construction company and by noon the yard was dug up as the septic system had failed.  It was old and couldn’t handle the level of use a family of 5 placed on it.  They dug up the old lines and the old tank.  They piled the sludge and mud and dirt off to the side.  The “water” was pumped off to the edge of the work area as the pile of sludge, mud, dirt sort of oozed out.  Everyone knew enough to stay away; until 4:00 pm.

    The three young boys got off the bus and immediately headed for the activity.  A backhoe at work, a crane truck at work, drain tile laid out, men with tools working; it was a boy’s heaven.  So, they decided to “help.”  Soon they were covered in sludge, mud and dirt.  They began to wrestle each other, throwing each other into the oozing pile.  They splashed through the “fragrant” water and threw handfuls of the ooze at each other.  They were having the time of their life until mom saw them.  She shook her head; it wasn’t the first time that the boys had pulled something like this.  So, she headed out and brought them into the garage and there they waited.

    She came out of the house with a basin full of warm soapy water and started by washing their faces.  Now, even the boys realized that their smell was not the greatest.  She washed them, threw out the water, got fresh water and repeated the process.  The clothes ended up out on the lawn by the garden hose, a later project.  Yet mother continued to scrub and scrub and after a while three clean, cherubic boys appeared with rosy cheeks from the scrubbing.  Hopefully, they learned their lesson but mom knew they would find a different one.

    When the psalmist speaks of “the depths” we can think of a hole where much of the sewage from a village drains to.  Prisoners were often tossed in these to keep them.  It was a place of stench and despair.  It is a place that we can find ourselves from time to time.  Perhaps we have had a fight with a loved one or heard some painful comments made or we made some painful comments and now regret it.  Perhaps it seems that the world is totally against us and in our sorrow, we are in the hole, the pit, the depths of despair.

    Even through the stench, God reaches down and gives us comfort and hope.  He washes us off and cleans us up until we are clean, we are new creations.  We are clean enough to live in his presence and rest in his loving arms.  Even as we fall into the pit again, God continues to pull you out of the depths and clean you up so that you no longer live with the stench of sin.  God’s love pulls you up and out.  In his grace, he cleanses us from our sin.

Father, I cry out of the depths and you hear me and rescue me.  You give me hope.  You give me peace.  Be with those who are still in the pit.  Hear their cry and lift them up by your mighty Spirit.  Save them, Lord and give them the certainty of their salvation.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret