There isn’t
any possible way that the author of this devotional book that we have been
reading for the past month could have foreseen the changes our nation has
seen. The author speaks about Palm
Sunday and the pageantry in our church settings. There is praise and rejoicing as we shout our
“Hosannas” and wave our palm branches in our sanctuaries.
But as we all know, not this year. Not this Palm Sunday. I think the challenge we face, however, is
every bit before us as it was before the people who cheered Jesus’ entry into
the city.
Here’s why I
say that: we are looking for deliverance from this potentially deadly
virus. We might be unsure of exactly how
that is supposed to happen, but we know a few things about it. We know that if we stay at home, it will slow
the spread of the virus down. We are
being told that some kind of vaccine for the virus is 18 months or so
away.
We cannot wait
that long to be saved. As a result, we
have to make decisions and choices on how we live today in order to receive
that deliverance we are desperately seeking.
We would love nothing better than to return to normal living.
This is not
unlike the situation for the people who waved the palms on the day when Jesus
rode into Jerusalem on a colt. They were
not really certain how Jesus was going to save them, but they knew he had the
power to do so – they had seen it. He
had shown them miracles of healing, raising persons from the dead, healing the
blind and the lame. They heard stories
of his mastery over the creation as he walked on water, multiplied a small amount
of food to feed a host of many, and turned water into wine.
The people sensed
he had the power of God behind him. They
were anxious for him to save them from the Roman oppression, which would allow
them to return to normal living.
The author asks
us what risks are we willing to take for the benefit of others? Our response to that question in today’s chaotic
environment is related to our very physical survival. We already know that Jesus answered the
question of our spiritual survival. Hopefully,
our actions are centered upon staying safe and secure from the spread of this
virus, but also taking a few moments to draw closer to God.
Stay the course. It’s the only
way to relieve our anxiousness and provide peace for these difficult days.
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