The New Room is sharing a Friday reflection each week. We hope that these short reflections will act as a point of spiritual focus, enabling a moment of quiet thought and prayer.

This week’s Friday Reflection is from Bob Wood, a local preacher who served for many years as a trustee at The New Room.

Luke 15 verses 11-24

This word compassion is used very often in our worship, probably in what are called the prayers of intercession, a time when our attention is directed to a situation experiencing distress of one form or another, as well as individuals known to us personally. But it is in fact much more than thinking about someone or world problems. Some years ago a survey was conducted about the stories of Jesus and by a wide margin The Prodigal Son was at the top of the poll. In Luke 15 we read ‘his father saw him a long way off ‘and his heart went out to him’ that is undoubtedly compassion and those of us with children know only too well, when our children are going through a difficult time, how our hearts go out to them. Compassion is not about wishing things were different, it is about seeing a situation, understanding the need and being in a position to do something about it. The explosion in the docks of Beirut, or the on-going turmoil in Hong Kong, probably have very little to do with us because we are not connected, but it is through friendships and knowing individual people that we find ‘our hearts going out to others’. Ever since we went to Zimbabwe in 1987 we have a direct interest in the events of politics and nature in that country. If an event occurs that comes from a place in which we have lived, we are more involved and concerned.  I recall at my primary school a girl Patricia Donnelly who came to school barefoot and the teacher giving her a pair of shoes. Compassion is the going out of one’s heart to others in need.

A blessing. May God give you content, Peace in your memories and time to consider your path. May God give you the opportunity to go that extra mile and share with strangers on the road.  May God wipe away your tears, give you encouragement and walk with you to your destination. The blessing of God is all the currency you need.