Wednesday, September 4 (August 22), 2024
2Cor. 3:4-11; Mt. 23:29-39

How much mercy showed the Lord to Jerusalem, that is, to the Jews!  And still, at the end, He had to say “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” [Mt. 23:38].  The consequences are all too obvious for everyone: the Jews are dispersed until this day. 

Something like that might happen to any human soul.  The Lord cares about men, edifies and guides them; humble, obedient souls follow His way, while proud and selfish ones resist His calling.  But the Lord does not give up on them, using all means to teach them good.  When they get too obstinate, He finds special measures of influence and instruction…  But at some point there is an end to His efforts: enough is enough.   The soul gets hardened as a stone: nothing can be done with it, and the Lord leaves it to its doom, like the Pharaoh in the Red Sea.

  Anyone afflicted with evil passions, please learn a lesson from this: indulging yourself cannot be endless.  This is the time to quit; not only to restrain yourself occasionally, but to completely turn around.  The Lord is merciful ─ but how do you know when you cross the line of his forbearance?

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