The Compassion of the One Who Draws us to Himself

33“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.

37“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, and you were not willing. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’" (Matthew 23:33-39)

Thoughts: Jesus shows two sides.  He shows a side of anger because the religious leaders unjustly kill his followers, kick them out of worship, and hound them down.  He points out that these people deserve destruction.  This is a common theme in Matthew, but more importantly it is a common theme in Jesus' teaching.  The Jews who didn't believe in Him still revered Jesus as a prophet for He was the only one who foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Temple.
     But the other side is how Jesus longs for the people to come back to Him.  In Jerusalem there is a church halfway down on the Mt. of Olives.  It is there as a way to view all of Jerusalem.  Jesus looks on the city and weeps.  He longs for His people to come to Him but instead they reject Him-- to their own destruction.  It is that way with all of us- He longs for all of us to not reject Him but to come to Him- for our own good as well as to His glory. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your compassion that draws me to yourself.  

View from the church on Mt. Olives looking over Jerusalem