Devo: Matthew 23:37-39

Jesus Laments over Jerusalem

37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 

39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

Jesus rebuked His people, the Jews in Jerusalem, because He wanted to protect them. He rebuked them out of His great love for them.

“This heartfelt cry is another way to see that Jesus didn’t hate these men He rebuked so strongly. His heart broke for them. When we sin, God does not hate us; He genuinely sorrows for us, knowing that in every way our sin and rebellion only destroys our life. We should hope to share God’s sorrow for lost humanity.” enduringword.com

May I repeat what was mentioned on enduringword.com? “When we sin, God does not hate us.” Wow. When our heart breaks over our sin, God’s heart breaks first and breaks the hardest. He doesn’t want us to get hurt by the consequences of our sin. He wants to protect us from it. He loves us so much that He grieves over our sins. However, God is just and they have to give an account for their choices on Judgment Day.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” Revelation 3:19

God rebukes and disciplines us because He loves us. Disobeying God will lead us into eternal damnation and God wants to spare us from that. If He doesn’t care about us, He will just let us do whatever we want.

“How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” v. 37

Jesus wanted to protect them like a hen protects her chicks. However, they refused to receive that from the Lord. Isn’t it similar to many people in the world? God has been offering us His protection, His love, His salvation, but we just refuse Him. God is gentle and He will not force Himself to us (Matthew 11:29).

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

He stands at the door of our hearts, knocks, and waits patiently for us. He does not force the door to open so He can reign inside our heart. He gave us free will so the decision to accept Him or not depends on us.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name…” John 1:12

We will become children of God when we receive Him and believe in Him.