Many of the churches I attended as a boy made a big deal of Palm Sunday. It seemed every song had “Hosanna in it.” The songs were very up-lifting. It seemed a song devoid of celebration was forbidden. And yet, Friday was coming. Then we would gather again in shared morose.
Jesus is about to endure a strange week. As He moves forward to His chosen destiny, the crowds welcome Him as their hero. Through the week many will turn on Him and display the very reason they needed this hero. He knew what was coming, He knew compliments would quickly turn to curses, praise would turn to pain, and delightment would turn to death. But He also knew after the pain and after the sorrow, DEATH would turn to VICTORY.
He also knew He would face the true curse of the cross; that moment when God would abandon Him. We need not face that horror!
In the midst of happiness and pleasure, life can turn on you; it will blindside you. Two years ago a life-changing health issue occurred; it caught me by surprise. My character has been maligned by someone I trusted; it caught me by surprise. My father’s quality of life has sharply declined; it caught me by surprise. My teaching methodology has been completely, and exhaustingly, flipped; it caught me by surprise.
But God is with me and none of this caught Him by surprise. Whatever I face, whatever catches me by surprise, God is with me! I need not have the discomfort that God will leave me – for He will not! Whatever you are facing, whatever caught you by surprise, God is with you. You may choose to send Him away, but God will not choose to leave you!
Death will turn to victory! Find a palm leaf to wave, your hero has come!