This Sunday we remember Jesus’ triumphant entity into Jerusalem as king. The crowds were both right and wrong as they welcomed Him. Right that He came as the LORD’S Messiah, ie anointed King. Wrong about the nature of the kingdom and what throne He would occupy.
A couple of days later they will have forgotten all about this supposed royalty, and shout “Crucify” with the popular agitators.
We often make the same two mistakes. We acknowledge that Jesus is LORD – but forget that He defines what His Kingdom is like, and we superimpose our own desires onto Him. When we do, it is our desires that end up written on the notice above His head on the cross.
The next thing we forget is that the increase of His Kingdom, and of Peace shall have no end. That mistake is displayed in every assumption, plan, decision and judgment call that we make about ourselves, our families, our finances and our relationships, that are not based on sharing our thoughts with Him – let alone subjecting our plans to His.
As we go into Holy Week, may we make Jesus’ prayer from Gethsemane our very breath “Not my will, but Yours, be done”. Hold it in your mind as you wake up; mutter it as you drive, type it on your keyboard; carry it with you as a mark on your hand and on your forehead; in what you do and what you think. “Not my will, but Yours, be done.”
Anders Litzell, Chaplain, 2022-04-09