But I will weep

Jeremiah 48:30-31 “I know” God’s decree, “her rooster-crowing pride, the inflated claims, the sheer nothingness of Moab. But I will weep for Moab, yes, I will mourn the nation of Moab.”

Jeremiah is calling down the judgment of God on Moab because it failed to respond to His call and worshipped the gods of the fertility shrines. In a sense, these are God’s enemies, and the judgment against them is just, and yet God weeps, God mourns and has compassion for them in their fate.

In this heated election season, it is easy to fall prey to the demonizing of those who oppose us. Negative ads abound, accusations fly, sometimes from the campaigns themselves, sometimes from the self-appointed pundits of the 24-hour news cycle. It’s easy to forget in the back and forth that we are all Americans, we are all striving for what we think is best for our country. We are all human beings with faults and challenges, but touched by the same divine spark. Like a couple on the edge of divorce, battling over what’s best for our child, we need to recognize that all of us are needed to make this country the best it can be. We need conservatives and liberals, Democrats and Republicans, business people and artists, what the prayer book used to call all sorts and conditions of men. Longfellow said, “If we could read the secret history of our enemies we would find sorrow enough to disarm all hostility.” Jesus said, “Love your enemy.” Our very future as a country depends on our willingness and ability to do just that.

Prayer: Dear God, I know I harbor judgment and anger against those who oppose my views. Cleanse my heart and clear my vision so that I can hear their valid concerns, see their best intentions, and know them as an expression of Your Divine Love.

Amen.