Our freedom to choose is one thing that we adamantly fight to retain.

We quickly and almost instinctively react to anything that appears to limit that freedom. Something within us knows that we are made to have freedom of will. God gave us this freedom and has promised that He will not encroach on it.

In Matthew 23:37, we see God making good on His promise to let us have our way. Here, Jesus weeps over His people and their city, Jerusalem.

God longs to gather us to Himself, protect us, and guide us. However, He operates on the principle of love — and one cannot force love. Thus, we have the freedom to choose.

Sadly, we often choose to ignore God, just as Jerusalem turned from the gift of His Son, Jesus.

The love of God is costly — not for us, but for Him.

He extends love again and again, whether it is accepted or not. When it isn’t accepted, He respects our freedom to make that choice, but our rejection of His love pains Him.

God is not the controlling tyrant some think Him to be, rather He is a God trying to win back the love of His people even when they reject Him.