"But You Were Not Willing"

Read: Matthew 23: 37-39

“…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” Matthew 23:37

I was so discouraged today because I share the gospel of Christ with so many people all week long, and most of them turn a deaf ear. My heart is bruised and crushed with the weight of their refusal and my eyes weep tears that flow unchecked down my cheeks.

Eventually, I gave my burden to Jesus as I usually do. Then, as I waited quietly to see what He would tell me. He spoke to my heart, "Now you know how I felt when I wept over Jerusalem” (Matthew 23: 37-39).

My heart is lighter, because He shared His grief with me. However, my tears flow even more freely now as I type. Our King and Savior who died a horrendous, torturous death would not change the status of the world when His heart was broken, because He gave mankind...a free will.

What do we do with that free will? Refusing to live God’s way, we willfully usurp His authority in our life, taking pride in our rebellion. We work to stash away huge amounts of worldly goods; and then we live for the weekends in order to lustfully consume what we bought. We compromise God’s standards with our ungodly behavior. Sometimes, we even step on anyone who dares to stand in our way of reaching the goals we set for our life.

God makes it clear that He desires for us to live in His righteousness, to love His mercy, and to walk without pride before Him (Micah 6:8). As I sit here tonight, I have decided, this is the least that we can do for Him, in response for what He did for us.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You bore our sins in Your body on Calvary’s tree, so that we might die to sin and live in moral purity. Your wounds healed us and give us both the desire and the power to walk in Your will for each moment of our day (Philippians 2:13). Help us to lay down our carnal desires and to live righteously before you all the days of our lives.

Thought for the Day:

Are we willing to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God?