Lent 2023 post 3

 John 12:12-19 

(A Bystander in the Crowd) 

I was in the crowd that day

the day Jesus came into town. 

He came in riding a young donkey, 

no white horse or regal crown. 

Everyone wanted to see Him, 

there was excitement in the air. 

The man who’d raised a dead man rode in humbly

no pomp, no flair. 

He’d done mighty works before us,

He said He’d come to seek and to save. 

Everything seemed to climax 

when He called Lazarus from the grave! 

There have been so many miracles, 

so much that He has done. 

Could this man on the back of a donkey 

be God’s Messiah, the Holy One? 

We were waving our coats and branches,

we laid them before Him on the ground. 

We were calling out loud hosannas

you’ve never heard such joyful sounds! 

What a way to start Passover,

surely He must be the King,

He’d never let us call Him that, 

but He’s done such miraculous things. 

Hosanna in the highest, 

Let our praises reach the sky! 

Hosanna in the highest, 

The King of Glory is passing by! 

Luke 19:39-40 

(A Pharisee) 

What a disturbing display, 

things have gotten out of hand. 

So many shouting Jesus’ praise

not just his own small, motley band. 

We told Jesus to stop them, 

to stop their cheers and shouts. 

He said the strangest thing

if they stopped, the very rocks would cry out! 

Yes, things are out of control

this is the first large outburst we’ve had. 

We’d better think of something fast 

before the whole city goes mad. 

Somehow we’ve got to stop Him, 

but this crowd must never know. 

He speaks with such authority

He’s messing up the status quo! 

I wonder how Jesus felt as He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. He had never allowed the crowds to call Him King, but today He didn’t stop their cries of “Hosanna.” I wonder if He found pleasure in their praise, or if instead He was saddened to realize that in a few days those cries of “Hosanna!” would change to cries of “Crucify!” How amazing that Jesus loves us, His fickle children, enough to lay down His perfect life for us! He loves us just as we are. 

Lord, may my praise be honest and joyful. May I praise You for Who You are and not for who I want You to be. May my life song be strains of “Hallelujah” and never cries of “Crucify!” And please mess up my status quo when I stray from You. Amen.