Saturday, March 6, 2010
Luke 13:34-35 "O 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, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
"I MUST KEEP GOING" -- BECAUSE OF MY LOVE FOR SINNERS
Jesus was determined to go the way of the cross, carrying out the work His Father had given Him to do in order to save mankind. It was an amazing display of determination. Why did He keep going?
In the athletic world, what is it that keeps the skiers and the skaters going out day in and day out to prepare for competition. Why do they get up at 4:00 in the morning every day to begin their workout routines? Why do they push their bodies to the limit even when they don't feel like it? They almost invariably answer, "Because I just love the sport."
Why did Jesus keep going to Jerusalem? Why did He make His goal those three hours of darkness? Why did He keep on pushing Himself toward that goal? It was because of His great love. Not love for the struggle itself, but love for you.
We see that love overflowing when He thought about His own people and their capital city of Jerusalem. His love for sinners was clearly evident as He wept even for those who had so openly turned against Him. Not just once or twice, but often the Savior's love drove Him to try to gather these wayward people to Himself. He did not want to see them perish.
Was there ever love like this? Not ours, surely. Our love tends to give up. We get to a point where we think, "I can no longer be good to those who have hurt me so much." Our human efforts at love never reach God's holy standard. Sometimes we do not even try to love the way we ought.
Jesus' love is perfect, though. His love never gave up on us. He wept and cried for us and His love for us took Him all the way to His death even though we did not in any way look like people worth loving. Because of His love our debt has been paid. Because of His love we stand forgiven in the sight of God and look forward to the promise of heaven.
