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And as they led Him [Jesus] away ... there followed Him ... women who were mourning and lamenting for Him. But turning to them Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?" (Luke 23:26a. 27-31)
It's so typical of Jesus. Here He is, walking toward His own execution—and He takes the time to feel sorry for the women who are following Him crying. He knows what they do not—that within 40 years, the city of Jerusalem will fall to the Roman army. It will be horrible—fire, famine, and rivers of blood. And many of these women will live to see it. Jesus' heart goes out to them.
At this point, all He can do is warn them. But Jesus is walking toward the cross, where He will do something much greater to save them—and us. For through His own suffering, He will set us free from the power of sin, death, and the devil. Jesus' death will save us from death; and His resurrection will give us real life, life that lasts forever. And we who trust in Jesus will be with Him always, in the kingdom of God where no war threatens and no death ever comes.
WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, keep me safe in Your care, even when suffering comes to me. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* Has God promised to protect us from all suffering? Why or why not?
* What has God promised to protect us from?
* Why were the early Christians content to die for Jesus? What greater gift were they looking forward to?
Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
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