“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.” Luke 13:34 NIV
As He approached Jerusalem and saw the
city, He wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day
what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.” Luke 19:41-42 NIV
These words were spoken by Jesus shortly before His crucifixion – words of compassion and mercy
despite the fact that those over whom He mourned were the very ones who would
call for His death. How deep is His love
and mercy, how relentless His tenderness.
Relentless tenderness?* It’s a strange pair of words since relentless
can be defined as “harsh, stubborn, unyielding”. Yet these seemingly opposite words show us
the nature of Jesus. His love and mercy
know no bounds, and He pursues us all passionately, stubbornly, desiring that
no one should be lost, that all should fully know His grace as shown by His
death and resurrection.
How have
you pursued something relentlessly?
Perhaps while learning a new skill, mastering a sport, or chasing the
person you thought might be “the one”?
Think about that this week and then spend time thanking God each day for
His relentless tenderness toward you.
- SPA written by Nora Lasher
*(concept borrowed from Brennan Manning’s book The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus)
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