Meditation 5 Jan 2006. Jesus cried over Jerusalem.
Meditation 5 Jan 2006. Jesus cried over Jerusalem.
Luke 19:41-46. (As appropriate for 2019 as for 2006)
Lord, there’s just too much going on – all we stand for and believe in is under attack: the pressure to legitimise abortion even more with the move to introduce RU486; the ‘right to die’ push for euthanasia; the destruction of marriage, family and society with the further push for ‘gay marriage’ and gay rights; and the push by scientists for ‘therapeutic’ cloning.
My cry today is “Lord, what is my responsibility in all this and how do I do it?”
God’s word is so wonderful it speaks in different ways according to our need but I am aware of the importance to not be reading into it what is not there. Today’s reading after a time of fruitless mind-wandering encouraged me – it didn’t make me ‘happy’ but gave a sense of peace and renewed purpose. Thank You Lord. I am content. I’d rather be here with You than anywhere else without You.
Jesus cried over Jerusalem. So we too weep for our rapidly weakening ‘Christian’ culture, the denial and rejection of God and God’s Natural Law in our society.
Jesus then dealt with the evil matter – in one sense the symbol of the rejection – that was right in front of Him, the immediate matter of driving out those who gained at the expense of others and desecrated the temple. So we too have a responsibility to say and do today what needs to be said and done to confront and challenge our society.
Then Jesus had to face the hostility and people in authority wanting to kill Him. So we too must expect hostility and attempts to discredit us and silence us.
But Jesus kept on preaching. So we too must not give up. His authority was challenged. So will ours be. Our authority is that of the watchman. Our authority is to ‘love good, hate evil and see that justice rules’. Our authority is to love our neighbour and seek his ultimate good and to do this by challenge and confrontation where appropriate. And where necessary to
“Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and proclaim this message there: ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne–you, your officials and your people who come through these gates. This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood.’” Jeremiah 22:1-3.
So Lord, another day with You. There is no better place to be.
Lachlan Dunjey.