Not a cheap rescue
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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.
For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Luke 19,41-44 (ESV)
Coming down from the Mount of Olives you have a great view of Jerusalem. The whole city is spread out in front of you. When Jesus reached the bend in the road, he wept. Jesus knew what was in store for this city. The Jews were about to embark on a political adventure.
It ended with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
The sinking could have been avoided if the Jews had given up their dream of political power and followed Christ. The tears of Jesus were tears of God on the foolish people who, by rebelling, had provoked the wrath of God.
„O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!“ Matthew 23,37 (ESV)
No cheap rescue – the good old hen
One morning, as a farmer came out to feed his cattle, he caught the smell of burning grass. Scanning the horizon, he immediately harnessed a team of horses and drew several casks of water from the well, drenching the haystacks and grass.
The following night he did not sleep but watched the fire. With the new daylight the fire came and raced towards him. With a full bucket of water in one hand and a sodden sack in the other, he anxiously watched the grass, the haystack, the barn, and the house.
At times it seemed that the fire must prevail, but God walked by his side against the terrible foe. With a pour of water or the dripping sack he put out the flames, his arm being strengthened by God.
Someone else on the farm saw the terrible danger and tried to do something about it. That was the good old hen. As the flames erupted, she summoned her chicks to seek shelter with her. The chicks came running to her, too, and she hid them all under her wings. The fire had finally sped past.
The farmer walked around his property chasing for sparks that could start new fires. From a heap lying a little way from him, he saw fine clouds of smoke rising. It could be a charred hat or coat, he couldn’t tell. He nudged it lightly with his foot and was amazed to discover: a brood of yellow-fluffy chicks. Now, in awe, he examined the singed thing and discovered that it was a red hen. She had willingly sacrificed her life to save her chicks.
The farmer took off his hat and bowed his head in thought. He remembered the first time he took refuge under God’s outstretched arms and was saved. He remembered that the Lord Jesus suffered a cruel death in His stead on the cross so that he, the unworthy, might have eternal life. The words from Matthew 23:37 came to him (see above)
to mind that revealed his seeking love and patience:
Those words became even more important to him now. He realized that the power of hellfire had come upon him who bore the sins of men, commanding them to escape from that fire.
With tears in his eyes, he went to fetch two boxes, one to bury the heroic hen in and the other to put her squeaking chicks in.
We humans are separated from God in our arbitrary separation and entangled in deep guilt. We need a salvation that comes from outside and can only happen through God’s act of salvation.
Jesus invites us. He wants all people to be delivered from the power of evil and wants to give us eternal life.
Paul says: if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old has passed away, everything has become new.
If you don’t know Jesus yet, he weeps for you too. Let him save you! You will receive deep peace and eternal salvation.
Author: Egon Waechter
Images: https://pixabay.com/de
