Not willing!

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”                                                 Luke 13.34

Jesus mourns for Jerusalem. Jerusalem had been particularly severe on men of God, killing prophets and stoning apostles. Jesus is headed for Jerusalem where the ultimate passion awaits Him.

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, He grieves for Jerusalem. He desires to gather its people together and comfort and nurture them as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. This is the way of God. He wants to love and nourish, to bring fullness of life and goodness to the people. Yet these very people scorn Him and reject His love. Their foolishness drives them to seek to destroy Him.

I remember the desolation I felt in Jerusalem. I had the strongest feeling that God was not in His holy city. I experienced an overpowering sense that His people had rejected Him. I was ecstatic when, finally, He revealed Himself to me in this special place.

The way of humanity doesn’t change. Whether it’s pride, egotism or whatever, we continue to deny God. In so doing we deprive ourselves of the most wonderful relationship, and an assured future.

Lord Jesus,

I experienced something of a connection with Your grief when I visited Jerusalem. The people seemed neither to know You nor need You. And this was for the entire Godhead!

I pray for Your holy city and its people. I pray revelation for them. I pray confession and repentance. I pray reconciliation of the people with their mighty God. I pray these things in Your name of love.                                                           Amen.