Daily Devotional for Sunday, March 15

The Lamentation

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,” Luke 13:34, 35.

In this powerful lament, Jesus cried out over Jerusalem with a heart full of sorrow. His words are not of anger, but of aching love—a love that has been repeatedly rejected. Like a mother hen instinctively gathering her chicks to shield them from danger, Jesus longed to embrace His people, to protect and nurture them. But they would not. Their hearts were hard, their ears closed, and their eyes blind to the One who came to save them. 

This passage is not just about ancient Jerusalem—it reflects the heart of God toward every person who turns away from His love. How often does He call us, only to find us too busy, too proud or too distracted to respond? How many times have we resisted His nudges to draw closer, to repent, to rest under His wings? 

Yet even in His sorrow, Jesus leaves room for hope. “Until the time come” shows us that His offer of grace is not forever withdrawn. The door of mercy remains open. He still longs to gather, to restore and to redeem. His love is relentless, even when rejected. 

Let this lament remind us of God’s heart—a heart that breaks for the lost, yet, never gives up. May we not wait until it is too late to say, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (verse 35). 

TODAY’S THOUGHT 

Jesus still longs to gather you under His wings—do not resist His love. His arms are open wide; run to Him while there is still time.

Steven Ridings