WEEPING FOR OUR CITIES

After writing the entry yesterday, ‘Love Our Cities;’ I remembered an experience I had years ago. We lived and worked in a certain city and I struggled to try and understand how to impact the city with the Gospel of the Kingdom. As I prayed and thought of different strategies I felt exhausted.

About a week later I was reading in Luke 19:
“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.” (Vs. 41-42)

Just before this in Luke 13:34:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.”

After reading this I started to weep over my city. I had never really wept over my city like Jesus did his. I don’t weep a whole lot… just some over horses, dogs, abused people (especially little kids), beautiful wilderness, rivers and certain art and music… and an occasional emotional unplugging.

It was during this time that I learned about weeping in prayer. Weeping for my city, weeping for my family, for the Gospel of the Kingdom, for my country, for businesses and friends. I learned to weep over whatever was making my efforts for the Kingdom sad and discouraging. Weeping is very close to repentance.

“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” Jesus