Ancient Perspective

As Easter Sunday approaches I've spent time reviewing the last days Jesus lived prior to His death and resurrection and for some reason as I read over the accounts, my attention was captured by a different group of characters than one might expect. This time I was caught up with the people who came to praise Jesus on Palm Sunday and yet less than a week later those people (or others similar to them) were calling for His crucifixion. Let's take a closer look.

"The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast 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

For a moment, let's put ourselves into the picture. Feel the thrill in the air, the excitement to get close to the man you've heard so much about. Hear the voices on the wind, proclaiming his greatness to the world and celebrating his arrival as the new king of Israel. Imagine how it feels to think that someone has arrived to free you from the governmental oppression you've experienced for years - the hope, the wonder, the excitement of seeing the plan you've dreamed about coming true at last!

Ok, fast forward five days and let's see what's happening now:

"'Here is your king,' Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, 'Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!'" - John 19:14-15

What has happened!? Within five days the people's opinion has done a complete turn and we see them attacking the one they heralded. Well, here's what I started thinking: This group had decided that Jesus was the one they'd been waiting for and that He would rescue them, but from their government, not their sins. As they thought about how it would feel to be free they decided that they knew how it would happen - they believed that Jesus would claim an earthly throne and then they could just live out their days in a better situation.

Then Jesus came and He did come to bring freedom but not in the way they thought. Jesus was revolutionary - He brought freedom that lasted through their lives on earth and into eternity and it wasn't just for those who heard the message while He walked the earth, it was for everyone who would follow! This wasn't what they wanted at all - it wasn't going according to their plans! So the public opinion turned against this man they declared a troublemaker, this one who they thought held such promise but who wasn't going about things as they wanted.

Of course this is but a small piece in a very large course of events but it's what got me thinking this week. So, now let's bring this up to the 21st century and look into our lives.

How often do we start to believe that there is a change right around the corner - that something we've struggled with is about to be changed or that something we've prayed for is about to be answered? As we think about whatever situation we find ourselves in, do we not sometimes begin to think that we know how it's going to work out, that we know how God will choose to resolve things in our lives? Then, God acts in a different way than we expect and it may not be a way that we like - perhaps a loved one dies or a job is lost or a relationship severed. In that time, don't we sometimes act as the crowd did on that fateful day - railing against God for not performing as we had planned? One day we find ourselves praising Him and the next we find ourselves yelling at Him because He just didn't meet our expectations.

However, at those times, I challenge you to think on this: Did God not do the very best thing 2,000 years ago? Did His solution not meet the deepest need of every person's heart, even the ones who were angry for not getting their way?

When we face trials or heartbreak, remember this crowd and know that just because God does not act in the ways that we expect or plan for, He never ever fails to have a plan that is better in the long run. Let's not be content with placing Him in a box and only allowing Him to act as we dictate or cursing Him when He doesn't. Let's trust that the Lord has a plan that we may not understand but a plan that works the very best in our lives that we might be made more like Him and that He would be glorified!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11