Insightful, Biblical Devotions
“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” (Mat. 23:37-38).
Even though you are intended by God to be saved, it remains a personal responsibility to accept His gift of salvation. It’s up to you to choose to accept Him. It remains your personal decision to cooperate with Him and accept the saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ. “Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Murderer of prophets! Killer of the ones who brought you God’s news! How often I’ve ached to embrace your children, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you wouldn’t let me. And now you’re so desolate, nothing but a ghost town. What is there left to say? Only this: I’m out of here soon. The next time you see me you’ll say, ‘Oh, God has blessed him! He’s come, bringing God’s rule!” (Mat. 23:37-39 MSG).
Jesus was saying, ‘This is not the plan I had for you. This is not my will for you. My will for you is peace with God. The Lord reminded them that He couldn’t do what He wanted to do because they wouldn’t cooperate with Him. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Going to heaven or hell is a “personal decision” – but Jesus Christ has urged humanity to cooperate with God and receive what’s on offer – the gift of salvation.
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