BUMC Mini-Blast July 9, 2025
JesusTime Devotion
by Joey Capuano
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Psalm 82 - O God, Rule the Earth
1 God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding;
they walk around in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I say, “You are gods,
children of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
and fall like any prince.”
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations belong to you!
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Luke 10: 25 - 37 - The parable of the merciful Samaritan
25 An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
29 But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
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Hope in God, and live like the good Samaritan did!
by Joey Capuano
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As I was reading the Discipleship Ministries email this week, the writing prompt was really intriguing to me: “Where do you encounter hope in this church community?”
As Christians, we know that our hope comes to us through God, in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, sometimes world circumstances can cloud our view of hope. This past weekend, we witnessed the catastrophic and almost unbelievable flooding in Hunt, Texas and the loss of so many innocent lives, including at a Christian camp, at Camp Mystic. This flooding came so quickly that by the time anybody reacted, it was too late in many cases.
The loss of many lives, especially that of young children and Dick Eastland, the camp director who gave his life trying to protect the campers, is enough to bring anybody to tears. Where can we find Hope at moments like these? How can we share that hope with others?
Our hope, as heard in Psalm 82, is in God! Throughout this Psalm, we hear the innumerable ways that God rules over the earth. With this truth, we are comforted to know that we don’t have to try to “rule” over anything or anybody. That is not our responsibility or even our place as humans. We can turn to God in prayer for his leadership, blessings, and guidance to help us through even the most tragic of circumstances. We are never alone - we have God with us, and we can come together to help each other and provide comfort to those who are grieving.
How do we provide this comfort? We can follow the example of the Good Samaritan, as we are reminded in Luke 10: 25 - 37. Jesus is telling the expert in the law in this passage how to inherit eternal life. We are called to live out our lives in many Christ-like ways. Here is what Jesus says, in reference to the Good Samaritan, from Luke 10:37. He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
We are called to serve. We are called to love. We are called to have faith and hope. We do all of these things for God and for each other. Especially in a week like this where we are hearing about the tragedy in Texas, let us come together to live like our Savior Jesus Christ by sharing his faith, hope, and love with everyone we meet, especially those with the most earthly needs. May God bless all those first responders, workers, and leaders who are helping to find, protect, and provide care for those families in need. And, may all of those who have gone to be with our Lord through this time rest in His peace forever. In Jesus’ Name, amen!   
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