Palm Sunday

John 12:14 “Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, ‘Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’”

One sleepless night not too long ago, I lay awake, imagining what it must have been like to watch a king enter the ancient city of Jerusalem.

I can still see it vividly in my mind’s eye.  Before I can even glimpse the king, trumpets herald his arrival.  Soon 40 soldiers enter the crowded city, each proudly straddling a high-stepping stallion.  Eyes staring at the road ahead, the men ride ramrod straight, armor and weapons glinting in the sun. 

Between the two groups of mounted soldiers rolls an ornate carriage, resplendent with gold leaf.  Four perfectly matched black stallions, crimson ribbons braided into their manes and tails, pull the carriage effortlessly.  In that carriage sits the perfectly tailored king, his brocade coat trimmed in ermine.  Rubies and emeralds adorn his fingers. 

The golden crown, encrusted with precious stones, reflects the bright sunlight.  As he passes, the cheering throng bows low, each man hoping the king will scatter some coins his way.

How different was our King’s triumphal entry!  No trumpets heralded his arrival.  No soldiers, no horses came before Him.  Instead of an elaborate entourage, He was accompanied by a few simple men, broad shouldered and tanned from hard, outdoor work. They walked alongside Him, wearing roughly woven clothes. 

Jesus sat astride a young donkey.  He wore no gold nor gems, but only a simple cloak and sandals.  Although Jesus had no coins to throw to the people, His intangible gifts were far more costly than gold.  A slight smile played at the corners of His mouth, but the dark brown eyes filled with sorrow. 

In spite of His poverty and ordinary appearance, the people sensed something special about this man.  They loudly cheered, “Hosanna, King of Kings!” and laid palm branches at His feet.

How quickly the cries of the crowd changed!  A few short days later the cheers of “Hosanna” changed to jeers and shouts of “Crucify Him!  Crucify Him!”  Many of those who had proclaimed Him king now clamored for his death.  Even his closest friends ran away and denied they even knew him.

How, I wonder, could these people change so quickly?  How could they proclaim him king one day, and not even acknowledge his existence the next? 

As I sit quietly and think, I realize, with humility and shame, that I have done the very same thing.  How many times do I go on my merry way, never acknowledging Christ as the king of my life, never seeking His divine guidance? 

How many times do I deny His existence by failing to speak out against injustice or not sharing His good news with another?  If He is truly king of my life, why do I not get down on my knees every day and praise my spiritual king?

Jesus, king of my life, help me to bow in humble obedience and recognition of your lordship in my life.

Through the Psalms, Chapter 10

Today we are going Through the Psalms, chapter 10

Psalm 10: 16-18
“The Lord is King for ever and ever,
The nation will perish from his land.
You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted,
You encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
Defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
So that mere earthly mortals
Will never again strike terror.”

How reassuring is this? No matter who is leading a country, “The Lord is King.” So in times of turmoil or dissension, we know who is in charge. Our King hears ours desires when we are “afflicted.” His listens to our cries and defends us in times of difficulties. What a beautiful promise to cling to.

Thank you, Lord, for keeping your promises. Thank you for hearing our cries in times of oppression and problems. You are still the King of kings. Hallelujah!

Cleaning the Stove

Cleaning the Stove

This morning I cleaned my stove. You know, took out the burners and the drip pans and cleaned all the accumulated gunk. Most of it wiped up easily, but a few spots took a little elbow grease and some steel wool pads. Before long, the stove looked shiny and (nearly) new.

As I worked, my mind meandered, as it tends to do. I thought about all those meals I’d cooked on this stove. Would you believe it? Thirty-one years’ worth of meals. That’s a lot of years and a lot of meals. Any botched meals were the fault of the cook, not the stove. It endured boil-overs, splatters, occasionally burned food, and spills on the burners.

As my mind wandered, I couldn’t help but compare myself to that stove. Thurty-one is pretty ancient for a stove. Now I don’t consider myself ancient, but I am retired, and I am on Medicare. Even though I don’t like the title, I am officially classified as elderly.

In all my years, I’ve botched many things, said or done the wrong thing to the wrong person. I have boiled over in anger, regretting words that came out of my mouth. Over the years, there have been countless occasions where I’ve just made a mess of things. I haven’t always followed God’s recipe for my life. I’ve been spiritually careless and taken things and people for granted.

I am so grateful that God is always willing to clean up my messes. No matter what I have said or done, or how often I have ignored his suggestions, He is willing to forgive. Even when I make a huge mess, He helps me clean it up, He forgives and offers me grace. He opens my eyes to truth and wisdom in His word, and He shows me a better way. Are you ready to ask Him to help you clean up your messes and offer you grace?

Father, thank you for cleaning up my messes. Thank you for sending your son to offer grace to all of us that we may be sparkling clean in your sight.

Come to Rest

“The literal translation of the words ‘pray always’ is ‘come to rest.’ The Greek word for rest is hesychia, and hesychasm is the term which refers to the spirituality of the desert. A hesychast is a man or a woman who seeks solitude and silence as the ways to unceasing prayer. The prayer of the hesychasts is a prayer of rest. This rest, however, has little to do with the absence of conflict or pain. It is a rest in God in the midst of a very intense daily struggle.”

~Henri Nouwen~

I love this description of prayer. In spite of circumstances, desirable or awful, through praying always we come to rest in our Savior.

Thank you Father, for letting us speak with you and listen to you. Thank you for giving us spiritual rest.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46: 10 a

Through the Psalms 9

Through the Psalms Chapter 9

Psalm 9: 7-10
“The Lord reigns forever,
He has established his throne for judgment.
He rules the world in righteousness
And judges the peoples with equity.
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
For you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

There is so much content in these few verses. It all touches on who God is. Just look at the verbs in the first four lines: reigns, established, rules, judges. Read those four lines again and catch a glimpse of the magnificence of our God. The next two lines show us a small part of who our Lord is: a refuge, a stronghold. What words to cling to in times of danger or despair. In the last two lines, the psalmist speaks directly to our Lord about those who know and seek Him. With confidence, we can trust Him and know He will never forsake us.

Lord God, I am amazed at your power and might. Yet, with all that strength you are gentle enough to provide us refuge when we seek it. Thank you for your faithfulness.

Ahh, Spring

This devotion is the first one I ever submitted, and the first one I published! Was I ever excited when I first saw it in “The Secret Place. “

Ahh, Spring!

Spring is in the air, and the sunshine draws me to the nearby nature trails. As soon as I enter the park, serenity covers me like a blanket. The trees, still black and bare of leaves, stretch high above my dirt pathway. The winds blowing up over my head sway the trees, causing their bare branches to clack against one another. On either side of my path, green shoots poke tentatively from the ground. Frogs in the nearby pond seem to sing, “Spring is coming.”

Soon these trees will wear lush canopies of green, and flowers will dot the countryside. Suddenly, I encounter a white-tailed deer staring at me. A mere ten yards away, her huge brown yes watch me gingerly pass by. Then I notice two more keeping watch. As my peaceful walk draws to a close, I exit the park through the overarching branches. The city streets loom hard in a barren contrast to the park. Walking home, I vow to take the beauty and serenity of God’s world with me, allowing it to awaken spring in my soul.

Precious Creator, let the springtime around me awaken the springtime in my soul. Let my heart know that you are God.