Loving God, like a mother hen guard and protect this dear reader in all they face today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our texts for today come from Luke 13 & 19: 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.' " 41 As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, "If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God." (NRSV)
Sunday was a glorious day in the life of Jesus or so we have come to portray it. I was blessed to be part of a procession that gathered in the fellowship hall and then marched out with the children leading us. All of us were given palm prongs and we waved them as we entered the sanctuary. I started to sit as I suppose a visitor would do is he or she did not know, and then noticed that all were processing to the right side of the church and laying their prongs down in front of a cross. I joined the last man in line and said, "I was about to sit down and use this to fan myself during the service!" He chuckled and I seriously fell in behind him and placed the prong there. The two passages from Luke give a deep sense of what was on Jesus' heart and in His spirit on that day. The first passage comes from Luke 13 and Jesus says aloud that His desire was to gather the "children" of Jeruslem together as a "hen gathers her brood..." but the children were not willing. Then from Luke 19, Jesus weeps for the city knowing that the people did not understand the things of that Sunday were meant for peace not war, and speaks a prophetic word about coming violence even among children.
Yesterday was, here in the USA, tax day. Most people had until 12 midnight last night to file their taxes without fear of penalty, and those who did, and are owed a refund are a happy lot and today are calm and happy about life in general. Other face the stress of having had to pay Uncle Sam amounts they probably thought are not fair. And I share this as a reminder that we can too easily lose sight of the spiritual needs in our midst, usually ours. We are blinded, like the people of Jerusalem, to the things of God that are much more important and we can begin to fail our mission and purpose to make new disciples if we are not careful. Holy Week is all about making disciples and re-commiting our lives to the Savior who came to pay our price for our sinfulness. Every day offers us a new opportunity of recommitment to Jesus. Today's focus is on Jesus' love for us. Jesus includes us in that image of a mother hen gathering her brood. Imagine a safer place than under Jesus' arms? I can't. Imagine a greater love than the love of Jesus?
PRAYER: Loving Lord, embrace me and shield me under your protective love. Help me today regain my focus on You and Your love for me and for those who do not yet know of Your love. Help me today make a new disciple of myself and with Your help, someone else. I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
