And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Luke 19:41-42
The story of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem is not as celebrated as it should be. The event happened while Jesus was on His way to the cross. After a hero welcome while riding on a donkey, Jesus drew near and saw the city, weeping as he entered it. “This was a deeply moving moment for Jesus. His tears were not for His own fate in Jerusalem, but for the fate of the city itself. The word that is used for “wept,” should be translated as ‘wailed’; “Jesus burst into sobbing as he lamented lost opportunity.” (Morris)
Jesus’ wailing was a demonstration of His unfailing love for the people of Jerusalem in particular, and for humanity overall. In His divine mind, He saw the devastation that was going to overtake Jerusalem. Like a mother wailing for a dying child, Jesus wailed over Jerusalem to express his grief for the lives that would be lost.
As I thought about the many lives lost during this pandemic, the Lord told me to weep for souls that will be lost without a relationship with Jesus Christ. My heart aches for every person who dies without Christ. The thought of someone spending eternity in hell is horrifying. I refuse to accept the idea that anyone is hopelessly lost. God gave the gift of salvation to all humanity. Anyone can be saved.
Jesus’ wailing over Jerusalem was out of his frustrated desire to deliver it from spiritual darkness and the things of destruction. As the Prince of peace, He wanted to offer peace to Jerusalem. His final visit to the city was intended as a sign of peace—thus He rode on a donkey. “The spiritual blindness of the rulers and people was such that they did not discern the meaning of the visitation. The result was inevitable. There could be no escape from the destruction.” (Morgan)
The unsaved will not discern the meaning of our evangelism fervor. They will not appreciate our passion and commitment to share the gospel of truth. Because of their spiritual blindness, we may be persecuted and resented for reminding them of God’s judgment that is to come.
Disciples of Christ should be praying fervently for the unsaved. We should weep for our friends and loved ones who do not know Christ. Though the eyes of their souls are closed to the reality of hell, we should pray for the Holy Spirit to sensitize their hearts to the presence of Christ.
I am haunted by the thought of going to heaven and hearing the voice of the people that I should have witnessed crying out to me from hell asking “why did not you not make me listen?” I write this devotional every day with the hope that it will help to save a life or more. Everything that I do in ministry is intended to lift the name of Jesus and to share the gift of salvation with everyone.
As darkness abounds in this world, I weep for the souls that are engulfed in wickedness and following the path of destruction. As the people of Jerusalem did not escape from the destruction that Jesus foretold, the unsaved will not escape from the devastation of hell. Our Christ-given mission is to be a proclaimer of the gospel, and a walking Bible so the unsaved can see the benefits of having a relationship of loving union with Christ.
Questions for Person Reflection
How is your spiritual compassion for the unsaved impacting your evangelism?
How can you best encourage the unsaved to embrace God’s give of salvation?
Prayer- Precious Lord, my heart weeps for every lost soul. Please send more laborers to share the gospel throughout the world so there would not be any lost souls.
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