Hosanna to Crucify Him-A Biblical Lesson on Betrayal.
Hey Friends, welcome back to my page! I am so glad you are here and I can’t wait to share what God has been teaching me this week. With Easter around the corner, I’m sure some of you are getting excited to spend time at church, wrapping up your Easter Bible studies, and let’s be honest…thinking about those delicious rolls that will be on your family’s tables. Others though, may not have family, a church they call home, or even thinking about the celebratory elements of Easter. Some may be in the lowest of lows and feel the darkness that this life can bring. I have been in all these positions at some point, but friends that doesn’t take away from the true meaning of Easter, and why we have something to celebrate in the first place.
Sometimes when we are in the thick of our misery, we can feel totally alone. We feel almost original in the situation we are in, and think there can’t possibly be anyone that understands what I am dealing with. I tried that way of thinking for a moment, but Jesus being the great Father he is, humbled me. During Easter I usually reread the stories that walk along Jesus’ public ministry, through His sacrificial death and His resurrection. But this year I was stuck on the triumphal entry. I read Matthew 21 like I normally did, but it sat differently this time. Maybe it is the season I’m in right now, but I didn’t get the warm and fuzzies that I normally got with “Hosanna” being chanted.
This time around I felt sad. It wasn’t until I had an email, a random Facebook story, and my devotional all talking about the same thing that I realized it was God answering my prayers about the betrayal I have been feeling. Not that my betrayal is anything like Jesus’, but it reminded me of how blessed we are to have a God that truly understands us. That knows are pain and experienced it firsthand. How quickly did it go from “Hosanna Hosanna” to “crucify him”! So why then, in this fallen world, would I feel I would be exempt from betrayal of any sorts. Even more so, how could I even start to feel like nobody understands my pain? When we call out to our Lord and Savior, He really is near and ready to comfort us. More importantly, when we look towards the cross how quickly does it become less about our problems and more about what Jesus did in our place. Our hurt is valid, the pain we feel is real, but our God sees us and we are never alone. So many versus remind us that He is with us, but I will give you one to meditate on; “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” Psalm 34:18.
The chants of Hosanna are still needed, because this world no doubt needs Jesus. But God reminded me that through the Easter celebrations, and even the trials we may be experiencing; He truly loves us. As His daughter, I needed that hug of comfort this week. I needed the shift from me to him. No matter how you are spending Easter, be on fire for Jesus. Spend time with him, and call out to him when you need Him. Sometimes we need to be humbled a bit to remember every day we’re here is a true blessing. I hope this encouraged someone, and I pray you have a Happy Easter. Until next time.
Keep growing,
Whit
