As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.
-Luke 19:41

Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever, in a moment of rare quiet, been in a position to view the entire expanse of a city or town and then be overwhelmed with sadness? Did you feel desperate for those within? Did you become painfully aware of the massive number of lost, hurt, untrusting and angry people that exist there, hurling themselves toward oblivion? Perhaps you thought to yourself how pretty the city lights were. Perhaps you wondered how so many could be so close to each other, but still feel totally alone. Did you weep? Did you feel helpless?

For the first time, I visited Border State Park, south of San Diego. There, you can trek right up to the fence that separates Mexico from the United states. Down by the water, the fence is nothing more than big iron beams that jut into the air, through which a person of average build could fit, if they were determined enough. The beach had the feel of death...and despair. As I looked out into the water, ribbons of raw sewage swirled with the waves.

Standing against the fence, was a woman talking to another woman through the fence. Judging by her tone, they were family. The scene was haunting. There they were, dwarfed by this massive fence that was meant to separate them; to keep them apart; to keep them alone.

The scene reminded me of how Jesus must feel about us. When Jesus wept over Jerusalem, he wept for them...not for himself. He wept because they were separated from him and he knew what was to come. The fence is unredeemed sin; coldly looming, dark and dangerous. He relentlessly seeks to contact us through the fence. We sit, hapless and discouraged...only seeing how immense the fence is; wondering how the fence got so big and disbelieving that there is anyway, at all, of reaching him. We become so doubting, that we cant even see his hand, reaching out, to pull us through the bars onto the other side. We need only lift our heads.

Pray for San Diego, there is much despair and destruction here. Pray for Tijuana, There is unfathomable violence and disregard for human life there. Weep, if you must...but pray.