Luke 19: 28-47   Jesus enters Jerusalem just as the prophets said He would.. on a donkey's back.  He did  not come as a military man or a power broker.. He came as the Savior, the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world.  Many greeted Him with praise and joyful singing.... but the leaders of Israel greeted Him with scorn and accusations.

He came anyway.

Jesus wept over the lost city of Jerusalem.. His city.  Where He will reign.  But, for now, they would not accept Him.. and "did not recognize the time of [their] visitation." 

So many people have remained lost.. they had an opportunity to meet Jesus, but chose instead to question, rebel, mock, and scorn Him.   I can never understand the hatred that people of the world have for Christians.  It seems so out of proportion... why do they always want to persecute and destroy the people who are the kindest, most loving, most law-abiding, and least violent?

Why do the terrorists target the people of God?  The only answer that I can think of is that it is Satan's influence and power at work in them.  It is not because of our faith or our character.. it is because Satan has filled them with unreasonable hatred.

And this is what happened to the Pharisees and elders in Jerusalem. They were filled with hatred for Jesus.  They would not stop until they destroyed Him.  But, they did not know that they were actually destroying themselves and serving Satan.  They did not know that God would take what they did to fulfill His own plan for the redemption of mankind.

What a mighty God we have.

Jesus cleansed the temple one last time before He prepared for His death.  Oh how He loved them and wanted them to know the Truth.. this place was to be "a House of Prayer"... a place to meet God and to find life and hope in Him.  How sad it was to Him that it had become a market place and nothing more.

Father in heaven, let us not miss the opportunities You give to us to meet with You.  Let us not allow anything to block our way to be in Your Presence.  Draw us nearer and fill our hearts with the joy of knowing You more and more.  May Your name be praised and Your honor and glory be proclaimed in all the earth.  Our world is in desperate need of You, Lord.  We are in need of You.  Help us we pray. Amen.