A Triumphant Plan

Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! 
Behold your King is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation,
Humble and mounted on a donkey, even a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Palm Sunday is in a few days; the day we, as believers read in Scriptures of the Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem before the dark days to come. Zechariah prophetically proclaimed this event in the Old Testament. We read of it as well in the New Testament as it unfolds. 

At the beginning of the verse, we  see celebration, a proclamation to  rejoice greatly, to even shout! If technology availed itself back then, I guess "all caps" might be used or Instant messaging--Breaking News on our screens. 

 Let's gather together, celebrate. "Hosanna to the Son of David!" 

Let's welcome Him to Jerusalem, roll out the red carpet, clean up the town, fly the banners and cheer Him on! Whoo-hoo, Yeah Jesus of Nazareth! 

They placed their cloaks down on the ground for His donkey and the colt to walk over as well as cut palm fronds, a symbol of triumph, waving them as He passed by the crowds. 

In a week's time, this same crowd rallied for His arrest, His death, His demise. Their memory of a recent celebration gone as fast as the palm branches discarded. He no longer was recognized as a King, but as a blasphemer. 

After His triumphal entry, He went to the Temple where He witnessed a marketplace on the very Holy grounds meant for worship, to present sacrifice-- a place meant for serious spiritual work, a covenat Gift set up long ago. As before, the crowds were caught up in the opportunity to make a buck, take advantage of a crowd, disrespecting their tradition, their heritage, their God.  

Such fickle people. 

Oh, How I can be the same...

But wait, (there is hope).  Let's take a look at the rest of that verse from Zechariah. 

Behold!  That means..."Hey you, take a look again, pay attention, wait...there is more!"

Your King is coming to you!  Even in our wishy-washiness, our apathy, our "Yeah Jesus" one day and our disregard for Him the next day...Jesus is still our King, Lord, sovereign, in charge, Holy...RESURRECTED, ALIVE. 

He is JUST. We see that in the overturning of the money changers and their tables.  He divides right from wrong, holy from unclean, truth from fake news. Justice goes one step further though, He is ENDOWED WITH SALVATION! 

Endowed means to bequeath, establish, equipped to give. Our sin separted us from God. Yet, He made a way through His Son to bring back a relationship, a triumphal victory over all we have done in our fickle and sinful ways. 

We can see all this happening in Matthew, Chapter 21. Jesus comes to town with a great welcoming committee. Everybody is cool with HIm. "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"  He goes to the Temple and hands out some justice. Then, He does another God thing. In Matthew 21:14 it says that the lame and the blind came to Him and He healed them. 

Maybe our lameness and/or our lack of vision has left us. Is it a possiblity that we have forgotten that Jesus came to triumph over and establish truth and justice...a HOPE in us? 

BEHOLD, I am the the Hope of the world. 

Father God, as I read again this story, I am reminded of how quick we can get distracted, get caught up, plucked away by worldly desires and fears, removed to just the outskirts of our True Love. Uncertainty covers our planet in the form of a virus that spreads quickly, making us sick and possibly worse. Isn't sin exactly the same? Have we lost our fear of it? Justified some of it? Compromised to appease the masses?  We are mortal. We will all face death and in that, I thank you Lord for Victory over it! Jesus, forgive me for those times I am not seeing Your triumphant plan, for not always walking side by side in Your will, but lame in my own wishy-washy thoughts. I am thankful that in a humble prayer, the heavens celebrate our return and encourage us in our desire to continue to see You more and walk with You in triumph and victory. Thank you for turning the tables of sin over in my heart and ridding me of that which is unpleasing in Your sight, I am a work in progress!  You did that work of Love on the Cross and we as Believers, received the Victory that glorious Easter Day. As we stay safe in our homes now, away from worldy viruses and connection, may our hearts-- I pray, multitudes of hearts return HOME to You to receive open eyes and discarded crutches-- our excuses for not surrendering in our need. Help us to believe in every moment and not lose sight of Your triumphal plan. Hosanna in the Highest!  Amen. 

I found this palm today at a great price in the grocery store! 

{John Piper}

Is It In You?

I Peter 3:15  "But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts...


I know. It's only part of a much larger verse, a greater calling. The words before...commands.

Do Not fear...but

Do Not be troubled...but

So many of us have taken that first step of faith, believed, asked for forgiveness, know the promise of heaven. Praise God!  

And it ends there.  You are a beautiful butterfly never opening your wings. 

Oh, good deeds may abound, prayers may still be whispered at the beginning of the day, at the closing of heavy eyelids, at a table with the smell of food and appetites waiting. 

That "sanctify" part...What exactly does that...what do I have to do in order...how much time will it take...what will I have to...change?  Give up?

Complacency.

Apathy.

Excuses.

Comfort

Unwilling, unmoved, ineffective.

For me, the sanctification process became reborn within me, like a cut-off, half-dead branch grafted again to the Vine, after the "comfortable" burned up. I lived with the complacency, the apathy, the excuses and the ineffectiveness for way too long. Pink Floyd said it well, "comfortably numb." 

But the HOPE of God, though dormant, never left.

God reawakened in me a desire to deepen my faith and then live it out. I began to see and understand true Grace in a soul-changing purpose for me. That, my friend, is sanctification: the intentional pursuit and the resulting growth in that pursuit of all that is Holy, all that is purposeful, all that is inspirational and affirming--sojourning on the  path of His will and finding joy and peace in the process.

Alive again and active, my intentional asking and seeking, the nerve-endings of my soul surged with anticipation and longing for more. In that, God leads me to His comfort within the uncomfortablness of this world. 

For we may have the privilege of suffering for Christ.

The rest of that verse says this: "...always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."

I know the Hope of Christ. Because I intentionally seek it every day within my grief-stricken heart, God has refilled, re-purposed and recharged a passion, planted long ago by the Holy Spirit. I gravitate towards it and I run to it. His Word is alive and active, personally sanctifying and leading me in truth towards His promises. As Lord in my heart, I can't help but share.  I stand firm to make a defense, I invite the broken, the seeking, I  encourage the down-trodden, I pray with my sisters--together in the suffering and waiting; and I am embraced and loved by a community who lifts me up as well. I rejoice in the redeeming Love and forgiveness of my Heavenly Father.

For I am a sinner.

I am called for the very purpose that I might inherit a blessing!  (I Peter 3:9). Though I have suffered greatly, I have not been crucified. I have not held the very sin of every human being in the palms of my hands and left to die on a forsaken cross where even God, The Father turned His face away. Jesus Christ bore the ultimate suffering for me, for you. In the resurrection, He conquered death, the ultimate suffering--the result of my sin.

I am redeemed, blessed. I am a temporary resident, taking daily steps towards Him in the sanctification process.  One day, I will inherit all His promises. 

Thank you Lord for the Hope within me. May I use it in a way that only brings You the glory and may this same hope stir others to seek more of You than just simply believing; for You are made known through us. Your power and grace magnifies through the believers heart if we let it go and give it to You, full reign. I am thankful for the very first step, the belief. Thank you for stirring me up. Lord help us to continue to arise out of our own dark comfort and bask in Your marvelous Light. Amen.