21 November 2013 - return and live

21 November 2013 - return and live

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,
he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
“If this day you only knew what makes for peace–
but now it is hidden from your eyes.

Jesus does not delight in judgment.  He does not rejoice in the death of sinners (cf. Eze. 18:23).  As he weeps we hear him say, "I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, says the Lord GOD.  Return and live" (cf. Eze. 18:32)!  His call is simple: return and live.  

Jesus, make us attentive like the wise virgins with enough oil for our lamps (cf. Mat. 25:4).  Jesus, do not let us be like Jerusalem which "did not recognize the time of your visitation."   Help us to rejoice in your visitation.  As you visit us in the circumstances of our lives let us heed your call to return to you more and more.

If we turn to Jesus we have no need to fear even when our enemies "raise a palisade" against us, when they encircle us, and when they hem us in on all sides.  They may well not "leave one stone upon another" but we will have the strength to leave everything behind just as Mattathias and his sons leave "behind in the city all their possessions."  No matter what pressure we face we will be steadfast:

yet I and my sons and my kin
will keep to the covenant of our fathers.
God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments.
We will not obey the words of the king
nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree.”

We won't be turned aside by promises of "silver and gold and many gifts."  Promises of worldly honors will not sway us.  We will only care about being "numbered among the King's friends" if the King about whom we speak is Jesus.

So what ultimately is this returning to God?  What are the things which makes for peace?  How do we do it concretely?  The psalmist knows:

"Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
and fulfill your vows to the Most High;
Then call upon me in time of distress;
I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me.”

Praising God is how our hearts return to him.  This is the source of our peace.  It is the first step in fulfilling our vows to him.  It undergirds and sustains the whole process.  It is the source of zeal.  When praise of God is central to our lives we won't hesitate to cry with Mattathias:

“Let everyone who is zealous for the law
and who stands by the covenant follow after me!”

God is so amazing.  He is "perfect in beauty" and "shines forth" from Zion.  How can we but be zealous for him?  May our hearts be moved with the psalmist to "show the saving power of God" to all who will see it.