Jesus Longs to Gather Us [Luke 13]
34"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!
Every time I read this verse, I have this picture in my mind of Jesus gathering us under His wing where it is safe and warm and where we can feel His heartbeat. And I imagine that all of us little chicks are overwhelmed by His heart beat so that all of our hearts under that wing beat as one with His heart. I see in the verse that I have to choose to let Him gather me (He never forces His invitation on me) with the rest of His brood, my brothers and sisters in the Lord. In addition, I believe we each have a responsibility to help each other in this gathering process, too, by nudging each other along. This last idea isn't from reading this verse, but from the many verses throughout the New Testament that encourage us to love one another and to minister to one another.
However, the historical picture is not so cozy. When Jesus spoke these words, He was just a few days from His arrest, torture and death and He was looking over the city where God chose to place His name, His precious Mt. Zion or Jerusalem. He lamented over her because His people, the Jews, repeatedly rejected His invitation to be gathered under His wing of love and protection. Instead they killed God's messengers. Still He died for them continuing to invite them and longing for them to accept His invitation. But because He died for the whole world and not just for the Jews, everyone who believes in the name of Jesus is invited to find peace and comfort under His wing.
We praise You, Jesus for being the One who gathers and protects. May we accept Your invitation to be gathered under Your wing. By Your grace, may we nudge many other chicks to join us under Your wing.
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Verna McCrillis and Beth Warlick, 12/19/2009