O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!
How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen
gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!
Luke
13:34 ESV
Jesus
laments as he travels toward Jerusalem. He is on His way to face the
cross. What he talks about in this verse will certainly come true for
Him, as it had for so many that God had sent as prophets and leaders.
His people will reject Him too.
There
is a huge difference this time though. This is the Son of God going
to Jerusalem, God in the flesh and yet they still will not respect
Him. In the second half of the verse we hear the voice of God; “How
often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers
her brood under her wings, and you would not!” He
is looking back over the centuries and the many ways He had reached
out to
Israel and yet they continued to wander
away from Him. Jesus knows this will happen again even though they
have seen and heard of all the miracles. Even though all the parables
and lessons have been heard, they still will not see, they still will
not hear. Jesus knows the hardness of heart that His people suffer
with and it breaks His heart.
When
Jesus went to His people and their religious leaders, they would not
listen, they would not repent. They cast him out and killed Him. They
crucified the one that would save them. They denied their Messiah.
Have
you ever read this passage and wondered how Jesus' church would react
to Him today if He were to come to us one more time to show us
what we should be. Would we react in the same way the religious
leaders of Jesus day
did? Would we want to tell Him what was Holy and Right? Would we
disagree with Him about what is good and true?
Today
think about how Israel responded to their savior. Think about how you
respond to His teachings
in His word. Do you
fight
against what He teaches? Do you disrespect His authority as the
pharisees did? Or, do you want to learn from Him, love Him, respect
Him and obey Him? Every day we all stand at a cross-roads and have to
make the choice as to whom we will follow. Will we follow Jesus or
will we follow our own ways?
Lets
not have Jesus lament us as individuals that have been shown His love
and denied it. Lets accept His authority and follow Him.
©
2012 Leo J. Woodman
