​Mark 2:15-17 NKJV  Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.  (16)  And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"  (17) When Jesus heard it, He said to them, " "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

The greatest characteristic of our Lord is that He is merciful and kind.  Jesus came to show us exactly what our Father God is like.  He is the exact image of God.  Jesus was always reaching out to people in mercy.

How great a force is mercy in drawing others to the Lord.  The sinners, prostitutes, drunkards, and tax collectors must have been awestruck.  Jesus did not deny them access to His presence.  No, He invited them into intimacy with Himself, even ate with them.  He was not offended by their colorful speech or their attire.  He talked to them, looked them in the eye, and made them feel important.  They knew what it was like to be shunned by the religious groups.  They knew what it was like to be criticized, and despised, and looked down upon.  But here was Jesus,  He stood among them and opened His heart to them.  He sat and ate with them.  He was willing to give them His attention and time.  He talked with them and listened to them.  He accepted them, and smiled and laughed with them.  How could they not be drawn to Him?  How could they not follow Him? How wonderful it was for each of them to be noticed and valued.

Jesus has not changed.  He is still the same generous, merciful, kind and loving person He was then.  Many times we let our failures, and our weaknesses, and shame, keep us from getting close to Jesus.  We keep Him at arms length because we feel so unworthy.  But He invites us to sit with Him, eat with Him, drink with Him, and be with Him; just like He did with them, so He can lift us up and help us.  Jesus was never ashamed to sit with those people that religion shunned.  He let His light shine in their darkness.  He didn't conform to them, but transformed them by His love.  He still works the same today.

There are many things we can learn from these few scriptures.  For one thing, we can see Jesus is not ashamed of us.  He wants to be with us the same as He was with them, because He wants His mercy and His grace to flow in our lives.  When we spend time with Him, He will transform us.  Time with Him will cause us to be like Him.  Receiving His mercy will cause mercy to rise in our hearts for others.  We will show mercy and kindness to those that religious people, like the Pharisees, deemed undesirable.

Would it shock some Christians if they saw a child of God dining with sinners?  And yet, that is exactly what Jesus did.  He is merciful and kind.  Only the Pharisees, those critical religious ones, were offended.  Is the Church more like the Pharisees, then they are like Jesus?

Luke 6:36  NKJV  "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."

Matt 5:7  NKJV  "blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

Recently, I asked the Lord what he wanted me to share with you. When I quieted my soul to listen, he said, “Do I captivate your heart as you have captivated Mine?”
Before you continue reading, please pause and ponder his words. Imagine him standing before you, smiling and looking you in the eyes as He asks you that.
How does that make you feel? I’ll tell you how it made me feel.
Undone. A crying, blubbering mess!
How could he possibly be captivated by such weak love? So many times, I give him less than he deserves, even when I intend to give him everything. I can be selfish. Impatient. How could my imperfect love captivate him?
But more than that, I wanted to understand why he would ask me (ask us) if we are captivated by him in the same way. Aren’t we more captivated by his heart than he is of ours?
God always asks us questions for a reason. Perhaps our hearts are distracted. Quite possibly, it’s because we have no idea how much he loves us and is moved by our love.
As weak as it is.
But I (and I believe you, too) want to live so captivated by him that the cares of life do not steal my affection.
So let me ask you a question. What has captivated your heart? If you’re unsure, listen to what’s coming out of your mouth during prayer and conversations.
Yes, it’s important to pray. James 4:2 tells us that we have not because we ask not. But let’s be honest, we’ve probably asked a million times. Now, the Lord is asking us to let go and trust him.
Maybe you’re struggling to let go and fully trust. I hear you, and I’ve been there. I spent most of my Christian life consumed with fear and doubt. I’d think, “If God’s not fixing this, maybe I should help him out.” (As if I could.) Or, “Maybe I’m not praying hard enough!” (As if the burden to fix everything falls on me.)
Beloved, when you are captivated by God more than your problems, you will experience inner freedom, and you will have his wisdom. You’re allowed to stop thinking about your problems long enough to focus on Jesus. It is almost impossible to receive his personal guidance when you’re stuck in your emotions. Let his love hold your gaze, and he will direct you. (See Psalm 32:8.)
“I hear the Lord saying, “I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life. I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide.”
Psalm 32:8 TPTBe still and know that he is God. (See Psalm 46:10.)
“Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God. I am God above all the nations, and I am exalted throughout the whole earth.”
Psalm 46:10 TPTThe Lord is inviting you to a new level of intimacy with him that changes you at the very center of your being. And it starts by surrendering to his love more than ever before.
Let’s bless him and offer him what he longs for most—our hearts. And as we turn all our attention to him, untangled by the cares of life because we trust him, love will captivate us. And nothing else will take his place in our life.
I’ve been pondering Psalm 119:37. It says, “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things and revive me in your way” (NKJV). Usually, I think of worthless things as being mindless, internet scrolling, binging on movies or television, etc. Today, in light of the Lord asking, “Do I captivate your heart as you have captivated mine?” I realize that anything we obsess over that isn’t drawing us closer to him is a worthless thing.
Staring at the stresses, cares, and concerns does not help you. You’re not making anything better by looking at the problems. But when you look at Jesus, he will lead you with his eye. He will captivate your heart, and you will never see things the same way again.
I encourage you to go into your prayer room and be with him. Take a deep breath. You do not have the weight of the world on your shoulders, friend. Sometimes, it might feel like it, but that’s a false burden you are not meant to carry. If you’ve been feeling that way, open your hands and give those burdens to the Lord.
Surrender afresh today and ask him, “Lord, would you captivate me again?“
If you turn all of your attention to him and truly let go of those cares, I’m telling you, you will feel better. But don’t let that be the motivation. Let him be your goal. Your one and only goal. Come to him because he deserves your love.
Let’s pray. Jesus, give me the grace to live captivated by You more than I am enamored by lesser things. Thank You for accepting my love so graciously. I surrender afresh to You, now.
Amen.
Gretchen Rodriguez, author of The Encounter, and co-author of I Hear His Whisper