Day 262 Whose Agenda?

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!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

Everyone mentioned in these verses sees Jesus' entry into Jerusalem differently: some saw him as the political messiah who would overthrow Roman rule and re-nationalize Israel--they shouted “Hosanna” and waved palm branches--both of which were declarations of Jewish nationalism. Others came to see the person who could raise the dead and were caught up in the political rally wondering what else this miracle worker could do. The religious leaders saw all of it and knew their traditions were being threatened and it seemed to them that the entire world was coming to Jesus.

But they were all wrong--even the disciples were confused. Jesus wasn't a conquering king riding in on a battle horse, but a carpenter's son, riding a donkey. God's agenda through Jesus was to offer himself up as the final sacrificial Passover lamb, and nearly everyone present missed it. God isn't on our agenda--we are on his--and we also fail to see it today!

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times I have been preoccupied with my own agenda and have failed to seek you. Please show me your will as I read the Bible and enable me to do what pleases you. Amen.