Mom Heart Moments #115

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.

INTERESTINGLY, when Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth, it is this passage that He read. He was on a mission —to heal, to save, to encourage, to proclaim God. When we love Jesus, we will be overcome with His compassion toward others, as He was. Our words will be full of power and lifegiving. No one will leave our homes without having a sense of His hand of love, His voice of truth, His arms of comfort, His strength and calling.

Jesus was a servant-king. He held and blessed children, loved the downcast —the lepers, the prostitutes, the poor, and the sick —served meals, washed feet. Love was His message.

Our homes are the arena immediately available to us, the place in which we can build the life of Christ. They become a sanctuary for those who need to feel His life by being welcomed and receiving a cup of cold water, a home-cooked meal, a focused conversation, a healing touch. We celebrate the traditions of home not because we want to be busier (no one needs that!) but to make the life of Christ come alive, to show the beauty of God, to give our children a live picture of His beauty, His reality, His truth, His words, and His outreaching love.

This declaration of Jesus from Isaiah applies to you, too! How might your home become a stage for you to show Christ’s love to others today?