Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. I am thinking about what it would have been like to actually be there in the city of Jerusalem, seeing Jesus riding in on a donkey (the symbol of peace).....Can you imagine it? Waving the huge palm branch you went all the way to Jericho to purchase just for Jesus' arrival. The palm branch that had such deep symbolic meaning to the Jewish people in Jesus' day. The palms were symbols of victory and triumph. Laying down your cloak and covering someones path was an ancient eastern custom to show the highest honor.
With a heart full of hope and promise that Jesus would deliver them from their Roman enemies, they shouted "Hosanna" translated "Please save us!"....Can you hear it?
You can almost feel the energy of the joyful crowd, standing, singing and shouting shoulder to shoulder, anticipating this Prince of Peace..
Do you think they had doubts that their hero would come? Doubts that he would, indeed deliver them and bring peace to the whole world? Was this human man really the messiah?
What an amazing day that must have been...What a greeting....Jesus must have felt very loved and welcomed. He must have been able to see the desperation in the crowds faces, maybe their relief, maybe even some faces of doubt. What a humble sight Jesus must have been. Yet days later, Jesus would be called a liar, beaten and nailed to a wooden cross.....Its hard to imagine that would happen only a short time after tomorrows celebration....
Wishing you a joyful Palm Sunday as we begin Holy Week.
"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"
No comments:
Post a Comment