Matthew 21:9 - "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!" And when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is This?"
Hosanna, Save Now, to their King
but the King of Kings came as Prince of Peace
Descending on this Triumphal Swerving Road
Overlooking the Kedron Valley with Tears
Oh, Man of Sorrows
A Suffering Savior on the Path to Death
Refusing to play Conqueror of Conquests
Fearful Pharisees watching & exclaiming
The Whole World Has Gone after Him (Jn 12:19)
Palms of Victory for..."Who is This?"
Riding a Donkey, a Symbol of Peace.
50,000 Triumphant Cheers turn to Crucify Jeers
Death. Doom. Deliverance.
Messiah Deliverer.
The point is that a king would come riding upon a horse when he was bent on war;
but he came riding upon an ass for he was coming in peace.
This action of Jesus is a sign that He was not the warrior figure men dreamed of,
but the Prince of Peace. No one saw it that way at that time, not even the disciples...
They were looking for the Messiah of their own dreams and their own wishful thinking. William Barclay
Do I look this day for the Messiah of my own dreams, my own wishful thinking?
Or do I embrace The Deliverer Who Has Come to Save Me and Set Me Free?
"Hosanna to the Son of David!
ReplyDeleteA crowd was shouting Hosanna, the atmosphere was festive because in their minds the Messiah they wanted was going to carry out their plans not the plans of the Father. How often to we as people seek our plans over our Father's plans?
I want to know my Father's plans for me which are to prosper me and do no harm.
The Messiah of our dreams... Embrace the Kingdom life, lay hold of God. It is like when you get married, the spouse seems so perfect, life seems perfect, then we want to change our spouse to meet our needs. The opposite is true in Kingdom living. We can have all He wants for us if we just embrace Kingdom life, lay hold of God, great and wonderful things are in store, more wonderful than we could ever dream of.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 21 -22 --"But Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Yes—and if you embrace this kingdom life and don't doubt God, you'll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you'll tell, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God."
"...if you have faith."
ReplyDeleteAs I wake up this second day of being unemployed feeling like someone is standing on my chest (again!) and as I run through my couple of new Scripture memory verses before adding a new one today, I can't help but feel a little discouraged. I mean, I named my blog "By faith" back in 2007. I think I was trying to "fake it til I make it" and I'm still not there. Every time I click on my blog I am convicted. It should be so simple to just Believe God, but honestly, if I did I probably wouldn't wake up with a million pounds of stress and worry on my heart. We are supposed to get a huge storm up here these next couple of days. I think I better start my new list of remembering how He HAS been faithful in the past and start living a life of gratefulness, looking forward with "childlike faith" to what's ahead.
Thanks for listening!
These verses fill me with every emotion--rejoicing, sorrow, conviction, confusion. Hosanna-Jesus, save us! Laying down cloaks and palms, honoring the One they would soon betray. They? I, is more the truth. Hosanna, salvation is here. One moment, we have eyes that see Him as He is, and in the next, we say "Slay Him." What is this messed up heart that can't seem to stay bowed low to the One who saves?
ReplyDeleteThese verses cause me to long for the splendid Day when we will worship in Spirit and Truth, authentically, with single-minded hearts in beautiful accord to our Saving Lord!
Bev, so beautiful--is the whole thing a quote from Barclay or did you write the words above? You paint with words, my friend.
ReplyDeleteAnnette, I read the quote from William Barclay that I put in italics and then I wrote my comments above it. The other words I borrowed were death and doom and I added deliverance. I was so touched by personally walking this descending Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem landing smack dab into the Garden of Gethsemane, with the backdrop of the Valley of Tears---the Kedron Valley. Where my Jesus wept for them, for me. This swerving downhill path gripped my heart like no other road I've tread. IDK why! I still weep when it comes to memory. With a tear rolling down my face, I'm in the library of time 2,000 years later. He walked downhill for me. HE did this for you! Gasp.
ReplyDeleteAre you all safe and warm?
ReplyDeleteAng, what happened? Oh my! Did you post and I missed it? Praying for you sweet girl. How disappointing. That childlike faith will rise up in you!
+++And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers."+++
ReplyDeleteI pulled out these verses tonight because of a lesser known fact about this area in the temple. It is the Court of the Gentiles. The place they could come...but not enter into the temple.
Does that not make you have a quick gasp, that this is what He has come for, to offer a grace salvation to the Gentiles? To save US???!!! The mystery of the Church is unfolding here! He's coming as the Prince of Peace, humbly on a colt, the crowds proclaiming Him...crying out Hosanna."
If you want to know more about what HOSANNA means, here's a link to John Piper's explanation.
http://www.soundofgrace.com/piper83/032783e.htm
And remember that Jesus was making space for us...one of the few times He became physically angry...and it was because there was no room for the Gentiles...
May we really look closely at what was there in our place...money-changers and robbers. Jesus wanted it to be a House of Prayer. At the holy temple. But they had turned it into a business operation.
Never lose the holiness of who our heavenly Father is to our temple of living faith. Christ in us. Is He worshipped in your heart or has something less holy invaded?
If you would like to stop by my blog...I have a copy of Ann Voskamp's book, "one thousand gifts," to giveaway. Just leave a comment and I'll draw late Saturday night for a winner.
ReplyDeleteFREE...Just a Grace-Gift for this Love month...
I love you pearls.
Annette (Abba's Girl), I pray for you as you grieve your daddy.
Bev, what you wrote was beautiful. As always. Your heart is so beautiful as you stay so faithful to Christ and His call on your life. Right where you are. Exactly at this time.
Janet, you write a post that corresponds with today's reading from Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young. Live in the moment. Don't look at the mountains because you may not even have to scale them. God can make a turn. He can make a way open up. Or He may let you climb, preparing you to do what has to be done. Embrace the present. Walk by faith and not by sight. He causes us to scale a wall!
Ang...I've been holding my breath for you to come back. I am so glad you share from the depths of your life. Wondering what God has in store for you just around the corner! He's up to something really important. I just KNOW it!
If I were you, I would go ahead and start thanking Him because He is very much involved in your situation. And it is meant for good.
Annette, so glad He never changes. We do.
E.M.O.T.I.O.N.S.
D.O.U.B.T.S.
B.E.T.R.A.Y.A.L.S.
W.E.A.K.N.E.S.S.
I.M.P.A.T.I.E.N.C.E.
P.R.I.D.E.
P.R.E.S.S.U.R.E.
He wore His human body like a cloak. We wear ours like straight-jacket sometimes. Lord, protect us from ourselves!