Willing to Be Blessed

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem . . . How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"

Matthew 23:37

His teenage son was going swimming with his friends. Before he left home, his dad said to him, "Son, don't forget to take your sun screen. You don't need to be out there without it." Shortly after that, his friends came for him, and they were on their way to swim. Of course, he was in a hurry and paid no attention to his father's words. That night, he was in some pain, because of sun burn. It was his own fault. His dad went to the pharmacy for some medication to ease his discomfort. So it is with our heavenly Father, His commands, warnings and wisdom in the Bible is for our good. We may take little heed to what the Bible says. God gives us choices. The wrong choices bring bad consequences. Yet, our Father in heaven loves us still.

Jerusalem turned away from the message of the greatest Prophet of all, our Lord Jesus Christ. They rejected the kingdom of God. Jesus foresaw the unfortunate results of their choice. In 70 A.D., the Roman army surrounded and later attacked the city. Josephus, the ancient historian, estimated that 1.1 million people lost their lives. Others were scattered in every direction. Does God love Jerusalem? He always has. He always will. They had a choice. So do we.

God loves us and wants to bless our lives and our families. As a matter of fact, according to the covenant of God with Abraham, He wants to bless all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:3). His blessings come to all believers through the promised Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Our Father in heaven wants to show us His goodness. Let it not be said of us, "You were not willing." Are you willing to be blessed by God?

Prayer: Father, we believe that You want to do us good and not evil, all the days of our lives. We receive Your goodness and mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.