By: Elizabeth Haarberg

Compassion’s Connection

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

I was at a conference this weekend and the speaker was talking about taking authority that Jesus gives us. I have experienced the power of God that comes with authority, but I’ve been studying the connection between authority and compassion.

Let’s look at what Jesus said about authority and power:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
Luke 4:18 English Standard Version

Through God’s anointing and the Holy Spirit in us, God desires that we use authority and power to help others.

So, the question I’m pondering is, how does this happen? Even though I have experienced power and authority in my life, I wonder if I’m called to press in to more. I worship, pray, and read my Bible, but there is a higher reality than the one I’m seeing. The important thing, I believe, is not seeking power and authority because I want more, it’s desiring power and authority to see others set free, so they can taste and see that the Lord is good.

What I’ve discovered is that compassion is an important element in authority. When we experience the compassion that God feels for someone, authority is given to us.

As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Luke 7:12-15 ESV

Continue to pray, read the Bible, and go to church, but also ask God for compassion to see people the way he sees them.

I’m attaching a song that is resonating with me right now. Enjoy!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado