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MARK 1:40-42 NKJV
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
REFERENCES: Genesis 1:26-27
Throughout scripture we see God’s compassion on display. In the original Greek, the word compassion is Splagchnizomai, which literally means ‘to be moved so deeply by something that you feel it in the pit of your stomach’. From Peter’s first encounter with Jesus, to Jesus healing the leper, we see Jesus moved with compassion. The leper, due to the state of his condition, was not able to stand in the presence of Jesus. Peter, due to his betrayal of Jesus, felt unworthy to be accepted by Jesus’ love. Yet, Jesus embraced both the leper and Peter with open arms, allowing their healing to take place. Regardless of our shortcomings, weaknesses, or failures, the compassion of Christ meets us where we are.
You can’t catapult yourself outside the compassion of Jesus.
The story of Peter shows how a faithless fisherman became a fisher of men. At his greatest moment of weakness, Peter denies Jesus three times, but Jesus redeems Peter, asking him three times "Do you love me?" Peter responds three times, ‘Yes!’, each time erasing his past mistakes. Just like Peter, we too can experience redemption through the compassion of Christ.
Like the leper we can find ourselves asking the question, “Is God willing to heal me”? Surely after many mistakes and shortcomings we can feel distant from God, but he is a good God that loves us regardless of where we find ourselves.
God’s compassion is beyond anything we can think or imagine. In reading the Bible we can understand the essence of it, but miss the depth of it. God’s love is deeper and wider than the oceans. The Bible may contain rules, but it’s not a rule book, it’s a love story. No matter how many mistakes we’ve made, his love for us never changes. Remember there is hope because there is a God who is good and loves you. All we have to do is surrender. Surrendering is the holiest thing you can do. Allow his compassion to embrace you.
As you pray, open your heart. God’s compassion is available. Speak out the things you feel ashamed of in your life, and allow healing to begin.
Need a midweek reset? Join us every Wednesday at VOUS Miami Gardens and VOUS Design District in the Prayer Room for an incredible hour of prayer starting at 12PM. Make it part of your weekly rhythm!
Where: VOUS Miami Gardens and VOUS Design District
When: Every Wednesday
Time: 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Join us for Vision Sunday! Pastor Rich & DawnCheré Wilkerson will be sharing vision and marching orders for the year ahead. Be sure to invite your friends & family and get in the room!
For more information on Vision Sunday, click here
Team Night is happening on Wednesday, November 12th across all four VOUS locations starting at 7:00 PM!
Whether you’ve been serving for years or are just getting started, your presence matters. Team Night isn’t just for a specific team or department, it’s for our locations to come together as one cohesive team and move forward as one.
Sign up for your location below:
SoMi | City | Miami Gardens | Design District
Are you interested in leading a crew? Click here to fill out an application to become a crew leader in SZN 1 2026!
You don't want to miss the chance to hang with us at VOUS High Nite on Wednesday, November 5th @ 7PM, a night for the middle and high school community of VOUS Church.
We'll be hosting a Parent Hangout during VHN – an opportunity to get to know other parents in our community. Dinner provided.
To RSVP for VOUS High Nite, click here
To RSVP for the Parent Hang, click here
Where:
VOUS SoMi @ One City Church | 6750 Sunset Drive
VOUS Miami Gardens | 17801 NW Second Ave
Make Thanksgiving special for a family in need by serving at our annual Thanksgiving Bash, a morning of distributing hundreds of meals to families in our community and watching teams compete for the VOUS Bowl Title in our spirited 7-on-7 flag football tournament.
To donate a meal kit online, click here
To serve, click here
Date: Saturday, November 22nd
Time: 11:00AM
Location: Charles Hadley Park
Join us bright and early at Peacock Park for the VOUS 10K Turkey Trot! Start your Thanksgiving with fresh air, great friends, and all-around fun! We’ll see you at the starting line!
Sign up for the Turkey Trot, click here
Date: Thursday, November 27th
Time: 6:00AM
Location: Peacock Park
VOUS SoMi
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
VOUS Design District
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
Church Online
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
