Be Moved by Love

And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and he was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. Matthew 14:14

At the beginning of this chapter, Matthew 14, we learn of John's beheading. It states that after John's disciples buried his body, they went and told Jesus. Verse 13-When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: . . . I want you to imagine how Jesus was feeling. He was just told that the man who ushered his coming to the people, his cousin, was dead. How would you feel after learning someone you loved was killed? Sad, right? Sometimes, we think Jesus never felt the emotions that we feel. But that's not true. Jesus was God functioning on this earth as a man. The Bible says He was tempted just as we are. He wept at Lazarus' tomb. Jesus was not immune to emotions, but He knew how to control them and not allow them to control Him. After hearing of the death of John,  He went 'into a desert place apart'. Jesus was sorrowful,as any man would be to hear of the loss of a loved one. So much so, that He went off by Himself, to be alone. I like to think He was being comforted by His Father.
But then the people heard where He went and they followed after Him. Jesus, when He saw the multitude, was moved with compassion, the Bible says. Do you think Jesus really felt like being bothered by this group of people? Here He is, trying to get alone to deal with His grief, and a multitude of people come after Him so He can heal them. Do you believe that's really the reason Jesus went to that desert place? No, He went to be apart. But the Bible says He was moved with compassion toward them and healed them. He looked on them, saw their sick and suffering, and loved them. In His grief, He allowed love, the Agapa kind we read about in 1 Cor. 13 and that has been placed in the Believer's heart at the new birth, to spill out from Him and He was moved to act. I believe that had this love not been operating in Jesus at that time, none of those healings would have been able to take place. Why? Because Galatians 5:6 states that faith works by love. It takes faith to heal a multitude of people. Jesus knew this, and He allowed nothing to take the love that was in His heart. Not even grief.
As Christians, Christ-like ones, partakers of the divine nature, filled with the Holy Ghost, and partakers of the anointing, I believe we must follow Jesus' example. We need to allow love to move us to action. Even in our own grief or anger, we need to be able to cast down those negative emotions and let love take control so when we see someone brokenhearted or hurting we can act like Jesus did and maybe be the channel God uses to bring their healing. Let love move you today.