COMFORT IN TRIALS
Christ as the Good Samaritan Rendering Us Tender Healing
Luke 10:33-34 But a certain Samaritan, who was journeying, came upon him; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion; And he came to him and bound up his wounds and poured oil and wine on them. And placing him on his own beast, he brought him to an inn and took care of him.
Christ as the Good Samaritan with Compassion
Saving the Wounded Victim
Luke 10:33 speaks of the compassion of a certain Samaritan who saw the man who had fallen among robbers. “But a certain Samaritan, who was journeying, came upon him; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion.” This Samaritan signifies that the Man-Savior, in His lost-one-seeking and sinner-saving ministry journey (19:10), came down to the place where the wounded victim of the Judaizing robbers was in his miserable and dying condition. When He saw him, He was moved with compassion in His humanity with His divinity. Compassion is more inward than mercy, issuing from one’s tender, inward feeling.
Rendering Us Tender Healing and Saving Care,
Fully Meeting Our Urgent Need
Verses 34 and 35 describe the Samaritan’s actions in rendering to the stripped and beaten one tender healing and saving care, fully meeting his urgent need.
“He came to him and bound up his wounds and poured oil and wine on them” (v. 34a). The binding up of the wounds indicates that He healed him. Pouring oil and wine on the man’s wounds signifies giving Him the Holy Spirit and the divine life. When the Man-Savior came to us, He poured His Spirit and His divine life on our wounds. The Holy Spirit and the divine life are initial gifts received by all the believers (1 Cor. 1:7). Both of these gifts have been given to us for our healing. From the time we were saved, we have surely experienced the healing of the Holy Spirit with the divine life. The Spirit is the soothing oil, and the divine life is the element that cheers us up through the Spirit. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 274)
Taking the Lord and Applying Him to Our Situation
We all face problems in life. From years of experience I have found that there is just one antidote to our problems. This antidote is all-inclusive and very effective—it is God Himself. He alone is the answer to our problems and the cure for all our troubles. If we do not allow God to come into our situation, life will be nothing more than an empty dream. Without God, all our dreams first become problems, then troubles, and ultimately turn into death. But if we take the Lord and apply Him to our situation, things will be different. Because He is living, real, and practical, we can taste Him and enjoy Him. (Life-study of Exodus, msg. 60)
Brothers and sisters, Do you need comfort? Do you need encouragement? Do you need healing? Simply contact Him, saying, “Lord, O Lord!” and you will be encouraged. You will have the healing. Wherever we can breathe, we can contact Christ. He is even closer and more available than the air, because the air is outside of us, but He is within us. We must learn to contact Him all the time. Only a small contact with Him will render us power and strength. He is everything we need, and He is in our spirit. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 1, “Lord’s Day Meetings,” ch. 7)
Prayer:
Dear Lord, Thank You that You are the good Samaritan who is full of compassion, rendering us tender healing and saving care. Oh Lord, I need You as my healing, binding me with oil and wine, and supplying me with the Spirit and life. You are so dear and near to me, as long as I touch you, you will grant me power and strength to meet all my needs.