03/25/2024
The first day of His last week.
We find Him at the Mount of Olives preparing to enter Jerusalem - His mind and His heart fixed on the plan.
I picture Him there.
Knowing what this meant. Knowing that His triumphant entry into the city would end just days later in the horror of the cross.
He knew.
He knew that the people He loved so much - the ones laying down palms and clothes, shouting โHosanna!โ as He rode in - would sneer insults soon enough.
He knew His friend would betray Him with a kiss.
He knew the stories spun against Him. The rejection. The hate.
He knew.
He knew.
And even in the knowing, He sends for the donkey.
And today as He enters the city, and steps into His last week, He knew about you. And about me too.
Because He steps forward today for us.
He gets up on that donkey and makes His way into the last days of The Plan for us.
What would we have done that week?
Would we have greeted Him with palms and โHosanna!โ today and then join the masses screaming, โCrucify Himโ on Friday?
While I picture Him there - Jesus, making His way with more love than I can fathom into the city - I also look for myself in that crowd.
Where is my heart as He looks me in the eyes? How do I honour Him?
How do I follow Him?
How do I love Him back?
How do we show Him - Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Kings, the Messiah. How do we show Him we stand with Him and for Him?
We decide to not look away. We step forward with Him.
We stand for Him and with Him. We give everything we have to help fulfill
His mission. We say โyes.โ
So as we head into this last week together, stepping forward with Jesus, may we keep our minds and our hearts fixed on the plan.
May we not look away. May we remember what Heโs doing and Who He is.
Jesus,
We see You. We see what Youโre doing and what Youโve done.
Thank You for staying fixed on the plan. For knowing what You were facing, and doing it anyway. For not changing Your mind. For making a way for us.
Weโre with You Jesus. Amenโฅ๏ธ
โAnd when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying โWho is this?โ And the crowds said, โThis is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.โ Matt.21:10-11