September 23, 2024 - Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭2

“Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!” Luke 15:1-2 NLT

Lord, make us more like you. You loved people so well. You didn’t care what others thought about your actions or that they went against cultural norms. You found the outcasts and those that were in desperate need and you saw them. You stopped and took the time to really see them. You looked beyond the surface and the walls they put up. You reached out and offered them hope. You offered them forgiveness and healing. You offered them true love.  

How often do we get caught up in our own comfortable world and we don’t take the time to really look at the people around us? Jesus, we want to be more like you. Help us learn to live outside our comfort zone in order to reach those who need you. Help us be willing to go against cultural norms in order to offer love to those desperate for it. Help us be willing to get dirty, if necessary, to shine your light into a soul that is so lost in the dark. Jesus, you took the time to share a meal with people so you could really get to know them. Help us be willing to stop long enough to truly interact with people in a way that lets them feel truly seen and loved. Help us to be your hands and feet here on earth, bringing your healing love to those who need it most.

In Jesus name, amen.