Palm Sunday Reflections

It was not the traditional Palm Sunday in my world.  Although I attended church, there were no Palm branches waved by children as they paraded down the center aisle.  It is the memory I carried with me from my childhood into the years my own children were the ones carrying the branches.  I even recall having our grandchildren participating in the event at times.

Still, I take time at the end of the day to look back on the original Palm Sunday as recorded in God's Word:

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival

heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.  

They took Palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

"Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the King of Israel!"

-John 12:12-13 NIV

It must have been an exciting time for everyone. . .except, perhaps, for the one riding on the donkey.  He knew what was coming later in the week when the "Hosanna!" would turn to "Crucify Him!"

Somehow, seeing these events in retrospect gives me hope.  It speaks to me of the fact there will be times in our lives filled with excitement and celebration, followed by other days of uncertainty, pain and suffering.  

Ultimately we can find comfort in knowing the cycle of events will always end with the words of the angel saying, "He is not here!  He is Risen!" proving Jesus will reign victorious over any attempt of the enemy to defeat us.   

If I had a palm branch, I just might be tempted to wave it and shout out a "Hosanna!" or two!