Therefore, consider carefully how you live – not as unwise but as wise – Ephesians 5:15
Read: Esther 2:1-4 and SOAP: Ephesians 5:15
“For Such A Time As This,” as we will see throughout our journey, applies to Esther in her day and—as we have seen this week—we can learn much from the truths that surround her story. Of course, not in the sense that we live in palaces filled with riches to display or have week-long ‘banquets’ celebrating our wealth and power—but surely we live in a world filled with distractions of other varieties, wrong responses, demanding our own way, and the temptation to follow the world’s ways rather than God’s. Which is why today’s SOAP passage points us to the words of Paul in Ephesians 5:15.
We mustcarefully consider how we live. Specifically, we are to live as wise and not unwise. This lesson is important and one that will play out throughout the rest of our journey. The question is, how do we do live as wise and not unwise? Today’s journal entry1 has a wonderful answer … May we take it to heart and daily seek God’s help to walk wisely in such a time as this.
Today’s journey through Micah reveals an unflattering picture of God’s people and disturbing news of what was to come. Israel’s leaders had forgotten the God whom they were committed to serve. Micah writes that they hated justice and perverted all that was right. They were building Zion through bloody crimes and Jerusalem through unjust violence. Legal cases were decided on bribes that the leaders received, even the priests proclaimed rulings for profit, and the prophets read omens for pay. As if this corruption was not bad enough, despite the fact that devastation and destruction were already wreaking havoc within the nation, the leaders continued to claim to trust the LORD and were telling the people, “The LORD is among us. Disaster will not overtake us!”
What About You?
We, too, face a similar choice. In a world that says that serving self and doing what seems right to you is the most important, we must, as Joshua told the people in his day, decide whom we will serve. Will we serve self or God? Take a moment to think about your own heart. Are you willing to set aside your wants and desires to follow what God may be calling you to? Are you willing to put others first over getting something you want? Is your heart’s desire to make the name of Jesus known over building your platform or building your own renown? It’s a choice we all must make.
Our God Who Pursues/LGG Journal p99
The hope of Future Days
In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. 2 People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. 3 The Lord will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore 4 Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise! 5 Though the nations around us follow their idols, we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever.
Admittedly, serving oneself or garnering the applause or approval of others can be pretty enticing. Goodness knows I have succumbed to those choices more than I care to admit, but I can tell you it generally led to disappointment or heartache. Choosing the Jesus Way isn’t always the easiest, most desirable, or most comfortable way, but it is most certainly the best way, for it leads to immeasurable blessings and joys.
As I wrote that last sentence, A group of women I used to lead on Sunday mornings came to mind. The name of our group was JOY, which stood for Jesus … Others … You. Seems like a great acronym for our focus today. Jesus first, then others, and then yourself. Whether it is in serving or living out our day-to-day lives, or even in our prayer lives, pay our eyes to stay on Jesus, the One we chose to follow.
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Luke 9:23-24
But I say love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Matthew 5:44
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Mark 12:29-31
Prayer of Response
Father, do not let us be like the leaders of Israel, who forgot their commitment to serve You and Your call on their lives to serve the people. Help me to remember Jesus’ similar call to let go of my life and follow Him. It isn’t always easy, but You knew that, and You sent the Spirit to empower us to do all that You have called us to do. Holy Spirit, keep my focus Heavenward, guard me from the distractions of this world and the enticements of the flesh. May I be known for living a J.O.Y.-focused life: Keeping Jesus first in all things and serving and loving others before myself. In the name of Jesus – I pray and believe – Amen!
Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. 2 He said,
“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!
Jonah 1:17-2:2
These beautiful words, highlighting today’s portion of our study, are from today’s LGG journal entry.
Into The Text
Jonah was at the lowest point of his life, both literally and figuratively. It would have been easy for him to blame God and grow bitter. Instead, Jonah recognized that it was his own actions that led him to this place in the belly of a great fish. Notice what Jonah does. He cries out in prayer. Jonah pours out his heart before the Lord. His prayer is raw and honest. And what does God do? He hears and answers.
In our darkest valleys, God hears our prayers. He cares for us and responds, though it may not be immediate or in the way we expect. But He always hears.
For some, you may find yourself in a pit due to your own actions. If so, call out to Jesus. He wants to have a relationship with you. There is no sin that is too great for the cross and grace of Christ. All you have to do is pray in faith, asking for forgiveness.
God is in the business of redeeming that which was lost or that which is stuck in the pit. Your lowest moments or seasons of life will not be wasted. There is hope found in Jesus.
For others, you may find yourself in a pit due to hard life circumstances or the actions of others. Know that you are not alone. You have not been forgotten. These seasons feel long and weary, but it is not the end of your story. David writes in Psalm 23 that “even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me” (23:4). Cry out to God in your hurt and pain. It will not catch Him off guard. Depend on Him to give you strength for each day.
Jonah’s prayer realigned his heart back to God so that he would be ready to faithfully follow God’s call to go to Nineveh. May your prayers today bring you peace and trust in the only place where true life is found, in Christ. As Jonah’s story wasn’t over, yours is not either.
My Prayer of Response
Father, thank You for the testimonies you bring from hardships and tragedies. Thank You for letting us see how You can work things together for good even through or despite our bad choices and situations. Thank You that this isn’t just a story but that it is truth played out on the pages of Your Word, in the lives of Your people bearing witness to who You are and the miraculous things You can do! May we be quick to share the testimonies of Your people and of the work You have and are doing in our own lives. In the mighty name of Jesus – Amen!
The More We Know
For more insight into today’s passage, read today’s LGG Blog Post
Yesterday, my pastor preached on “Living a Generous Life,” and this morning, I opened my morning devotion to find this verse from Proverbs 11:25: “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” Hmmm? My first thought was: “No way!” My second thought: “I believe God is trying to tell me something.” My third thought: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.1”
Both today’s devotion and Sunday’s message reminded me that God, the Father, is the most generous giver and Christ the most generous servant. After all, God gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. As the Scripture says, “This is love,2“ but it is also the epitome of generosity. On top of giving His Son, His grace and mercy are endlessly poured out freely and faithfully to all who believe. Blessings after blessings fall like raindrops on us and around us, and I stand in awe of the depth of His generosity and am humbled by the necessary reminder to live this way.
This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
John 4:10
May God make us blessings to those around us today and every day. May He help us be generous as He is generous with love, kindness, time, and compassion. May we, in humility, serve others even as Christ taught and demonstrated to His disciples long ago. May God help us to help others from the purest of hearts and motives. May we live and love like Jesus in all we say and do.
Have the Attitude of Christ
2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Shine Brightly for Christ
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy. Philippians 2:1-18
Scripture: Our Roadmap for the Journey: Matthew 24 / SoAp: 42–44
Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:42-44. NLT
Observation and Application from the Journey
Whether this was your first time or the one-hundredth time reading Jesus’ answer to His disciples questions: “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” there is a lot to take in. I encourage you to read every word and to search trusted commentaries, like bibleref.com1 and gotquestions.org,2 for help in understanding Jesus’ words. However, the bottom line will always come down to this truth: It isn’t a matter of if He will come but when He will come, and we are wise to live each day as if that day is today,(my paraphrase of vs44).
The one who is ready is the one who has believed on the name of the Jesus, for only those who have believed will be saved. In Jesus’ first parable of Matthew 24:45-51, these are the ones found faithfully serving the Master when He returns. All others will be destroyed (vs. 51).
Jesus has promised to return, and He is the ultimate Promise Keeper. What He has promised, He will do. So while we wait for His return, Jesus wants us to live our lives alert to His coming. This doesn’t mean that we live in fear but in expectation. We live our lives on mission, with a purpose, and focused on advancing His Kingdom with the days we’ve been given. When we live the way God instructs us to live, we don’t have to worry about when Jesus will come back.
From the LGG Journal: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / p158
The return of Christ is always presented in Scripture as a great motivation to action, not as a reason to cease from action. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul wraps up his teaching on the rapture by saying, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:6, Paul concludes a lesson on Christ’s coming with these words: “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.” To retreat and “hold the fort” was never Jesus’ intention for us. Instead, we work while we can. “Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4).
The apostles lived and served with the idea that Jesus could return within their lifetime; what if they had ceased from their labors and just “waited”? They would have been in disobedience to Christ’s command to “go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15), and the gospel would not have been spread. The apostles understood that Jesus’ imminent return meant they must busy themselves with God’s work. They lived life to the fullest, as if every day were their last. We, too, should view every day as a gift and use it to glorify God.3
We will experience tribulations in our lives, as people have all over the world through the years. No matter what we face: persecution, sickness, war, oppression, famine, or abuse, our hope is in Christ. We will endure suffering as believers in Christ, but our hope is not in being saved from suffering. Our hope is in the sacrifice of Christ, in His atoning work on the cross, and in His resurrection power that we have when we believe in Him. When we have placed our faith in Christ, our future, and our eternity, are secure in Him. He is our hope.
From the LGG Journal: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / p158
Prayer of Response to the Journey
borrowed from the Love God Greatly Journal p158 of Come, Lord Jesus, Come
Dear Lord, help me live my life alert and ready for Your return. Please use me powerfully in the lives of those who do not yet know You. Give me a heart for the lost. I pray for salvation for those who are far from You and for those who don’t believe they need You in their lives. Please use me for Your glory in these last days as I wait for Your return. Until that day, I pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen
If you believe in and follow Jesus as Your Lord will you help me share His message? Simply scroll down and share – or copy and paste the link to any your preferred social media
If you have not yet come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, I plead with you to click on and read “Know These Truths”. – Jesus is coming again, will you be ready?
Borrowed and shared from the LGG Journal, Come, Lord Jesus, Come / p76
Scripture: Revelation 22:20
The one who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.
INTO THE WORD
Jesus is coming soon. That means our days are numbered, and the clock is ticking. I can’t even imagine what that glorious day will be like when I finally get to be with Jesus forever. I’m sure when I look back on my life it will seem like a short amount of time compared to eternity with Christ. I imagine the trials, tribulations, and pain I have experienced will soon be forgotten in light of eternity with Christ.
Focusing on my future with Jesus helps me endure today.
Realizing that there is a timeline and an end date helps me to press on when my heart is tempted to despair. On days when I’ve been online too much or watching the latest news update instead of reading God’s Word, I am tempted to worry about the future. It is in those times I have to remind myself to get back into God’s Word and allow it to calm my heart and ease my mind.
Reading today’s verses does that for me. Remembering that Jesus is coming back soon helps put it all into perspective because it reminds me that the trials and tribulations I find myself in today will not last forever. The “soon” Jesus talks about here will one day be “now.” Thinking about this helps me to endure today.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank You for the promise that You are coming back soon. Help us endure and face our trials with perseverance. Help us count our days and make them matter, not getting sidetracked in quarrelsome, insignificant matters. Help us stay focused on You and the mission You have given us—to make disciples of all nations. Help us reach those in our homes and our towns with Your love. Until the glorious day when we finally see You face-to-face, we will continue to pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.
Reflection For Today
w2d5 / What are you most excited about when you think of what your life will be like when Jesus comes back?
For me it is people. If I am sad or scared or worried or discouraged I go to my husband or friends.
But people are not the only source of comfort, right? Some seek comfort in their money, retail therapy, food, work, or sleep. Others try to escape through fiction books or movies. And sadly, some pick really dangerous ways of coping by using drugs and alcohol.
There is nothing wrong with seeking comfort from others. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us that we are to encourage each other. It is also fine to watch a funny movie to make us laugh when we are feeling a bit down. But we can’t rely on earthly things to bring real lasting comfort.
Once the friends leave or the movie is over we are right back in the midst of our suffering. Earthly things can only comfort us in part, but the Psalmist tells us that there is a place we can go to find real lasting comfort.
Each eight verse section in Psalm 119 has a theme, and today Psalm 119:49-56 deals with God’s word as our comforter. Verse 50, in particular, is a key verse for us:
This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me.
If we accept them by faith then these words become personal. These words are not from some God, but from our God. They are words to us from our Father and from our Redeemer. We belong to him, and he cares for us.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction ~ 2 Cor. 1:3-4
God’s word can give us peace while we are in the midst of a wild storm. It can bring comfort while we are afraid, tired, and worn out. We can have hope that he will see us through to the other side.
Romans 15 tells us that “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
The best comfort we find in Scripture is that Christ died for us. It puts everything else into perspective. We have something far better waiting for us. These hard times – while they are difficult – will only last for awhile.
God’s word has the ability to give us life in the midst of any circumstance… life that is made up of hope, joy, praise and strength.
based on the Love God Greatly Study, Psalm 119, Seeking Him With All Our Heart/ w1d4
THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)
Scripture: Psalm 119:17-24/ SOAP 18, 23-24
Be kind to your servant. Then I will live and keep your instructions. 18 Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in your law. 19 I am a resident foreigner in this land. Do not hide your commands from me. 20 I desperately long to know your regulations at all times. 21 You reprimand arrogant people. Those who stray from your commands are doomed. 22 Spare me shame and humiliation, for I observe your rules. 23Though rulers plot and slander me, your servant meditates on your statutes. 24 Yes, I find delight in your rules; they give me guidance.
Psalm 119:17-24
I don’t know which I like more, the beauty of the Psalmist’s heart or the way the way he writes. Both capture my attention and arouse an ‘amen and hallelujah!” Not only does he understand that he is a servant of the Most High God, he also realizes that he is totally dependent on God and His goodness – to the point of life and obedience and eyes to see the wonderful truths in His Word. As a foreigner in a land that most likely was much like ours, filled with wicked and perverse people who challenged, if not condemned, his faith, he seemed to fear that somehow God’s Word would be hidden from him. If you’ve ever gone long periods of time without the Word, you understand the fear that grips the heart when you need to ‘hear from God’ and He seems to be silent. Though he was scorned and insulted, the Psalmist knew that he had obeyed the laws of God and was determined to meditate on God’s decrees, declaring he was pleased with God’s laws and knew that they gave him wise advice.
Living the Journey (Application)
Understanding that we do not belong to ourselves because God bought us with a high price (1 Cor 6:19-20) is crucial to having a heart that beats for God. We are utterly dependent on God, and if we do not understand this, we will not be committed to living obediently to His Word or having our eyes open to see the wonderful truths that it holds. We will not care and perhaps not even notice that we are foreigners here on earth and are desperate to keep His commands at the ready; instead, we will live like the arrogant and wander from His commands, letting our sin alienate us from Him. When others speak against us, we will lose a desire to meditate on His decrees and we will find no pleasure in His laws nor see them as wise advice.
We must be careful to remember who we are in Christ and live accordingly – as:
servants of God
dependent on Him for life and godliness and even the ability to see the truths of His Word
a citizen of Heaven and foreigners here on earth who realize a need to know God’s commands so that we do not wander outside of His will or lose heart and desire for Him/His Word when others scorn or plot against us.
Prayer for the Journey
Father, grant us a servant’s heart that lives to please You and longs for Your Word. Guard us against wandering from your commands. Let us not lose heart when others plot against us or slander us, but meditate all the more on Your Word. We are desperate for You and long for You in this dry and thirsty land to open our eyes to Your truths and hold to them as the wise advice that they are. We love You, Lord – and are so thankful for Your Word and the examples You have set before us. – Amen!
Music for the journey
Boy, this is a blast from my past. I used to love to listen to the Satlers – 😀
Question FOR THE JOURNEY
It’s easy to think of ourselves as God’s child and forget that we are also Lord and Master. Why is it important to remember that we are also His servants?
What do you think the Psalmist meant when he said that he delights in God’s rules?
THE MORE WE KNOW
Another prominent theme in Psalm 119 is the profound truth that the Word of God is all-sufficient. Psalm 119 is an expansion of Psalm 19:7–9: “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.” There are eight different terms referring to the Word of God throughout the Psalm: law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, words, and ordinances. In almost every verse, the Word of God is mentioned.
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
1 Peter 1:20-21 NET
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the lamb! Redeemed through His infinite mercy—His child—and forever—I am! These are the words that came to my mind as I was reading and studying this passage. I was hit with the stark reminder that our God, the Father of Jesus, set in motion a plan for Jesus to suffer and die for the sins of the world. Oh! What love that brought Jesus down to man – Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span – at Calvary!
We find Jesus throughout the Old Testament1, but as Peter points out – Jesus was not revealed or made visibly known, until “the last times.”1 According to Peter, God did this “for our sake.” It is because of Him that we can truly trust in God because Jesus’ death wasn’t the end – but God – just as He said He would – raised Jesus from the dead and made Him known so that our faith and hope would be – not just in Jesus – but in the ONE who raised Jesus from the dead. – Thus, it is written, “6 Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn 14:6)
The Father paid the ultimate price to redeem us, giving limitless value to lives that would have otherwise been futile and empty.
For true application, we must look at the full passage.
(17) “Live out” our life here on earthin reverence to God
Reverence is defined as “deep respect.” To live in reverence to God is to have and show deep respect for God.
align our will with His
live obediently to His commands.
live and love like Jesus
(18) “Understand” that before putting our faith in Jesus, our life was empty – leading to death. We were held captive to sin.
(19) “Remember we have been ransomed (redeemed) by the blood of Jesus!
Truly understanding this is life-changing!
(20) Remember, God loves us and made Jesus known to us – when the time was right
He did this for us
(21) Place our hope and trust in Him!
God wants us to trust Him and to find hope in Him not just because He sent Jesus to earth and ultimately to the cross – but because we know that He also raised Jesus from the grave! Consider these words of Paul:
And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
1 Corinthians 15:17-20
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY
Father, How great You are – that You sent Your Son to die that we might live and not die the death that was rightfully ours, the death our sins deserved. Mercifully, You revealed Jesus to us! Mercifully, You sent Him to the cross, and mercifully, You raised Him from the grave! How, oh how, can we not trust You? As we live out our lives on earth, let us live in reverence to You. Help us trust You in all things – and to remember Your truths and promises are Yes and amen in JESUS! – AMEN!
Music for the Journey
THE MORE WE KNOW
What does 1 Peter 1:20 mean?
The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross wasn’t improvised. God didn’t make it up in response to the unfolding events of history. Peter writes that Christ was known before the world was founded. As God, Jesus existed in eternity past as the one whose blood would cover the sins of all who receive salvation. Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, and return to the Father were always God’s plan to save us. Always. Jesus was always the answer to the questions asked by the prophets and the angels investigating what the Holy Spirit’s Old Testament prophecies were pointing to (1 Peter 1:10–12).
Finally, in Peter’s lifetime and those of his readers—the beginning of what Peter calls the “last times”—God revealed the mystery. He showed Himself and His plan to the world by coming to earth as a baby, a man, God in flesh, the final sacrifice for sin. Why? For our sake. God’s great gift of mercy, and the timing of that gift in human history, demonstrates God’s great love for us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).
“Blessed is the kingwho comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Luke 19:38 NET
Jesus has been preparing His disciples for this moment and all that will follow – (death, resurrection, His ascension, and the great commission) throughout His ministry, and even though He has now reached the road leading up to the Mount of Olives Jesus does not shrink back. He presses on and engages the disciples in what’s next, namely securing the colt on which He would make His triumphal entry.
While we call it a triumphal entry it is worth noting that Jesus does not enter as a conquering hero who has come to save the day but rather as the humble Savior and Son of God that He knew He was. He did not make arrangements for a great or impressive horse but rather a donkey, a colt that had never been ridden.
Our focus verse (38) is one of the most well known verses from this passage and the start of what would be a celebration by a great crowd of Jesus’ disciples. For the sake of his audience, Luke keeps his account of the event short but Matthew reveals the fuller picture and, I dare say, the version most of us are familiar with: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9). Mark and John share a quote similar to Matthew’s version, but as Bibleref.com points out, “Likely, different people are shouting different things, including praising God for the miracles they have seen Jesus perform,” as Luke indicates in chapter nineteen, verse thirty-seven, “but,” continues bibleref.com, “the gist is the same: Yahweh’s chosen king, in the line of David, is coming to take His rightful throne in Jerusalem.”
LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)
Remember we are disciples of Christ and we are called to engage in the ‘great commission.”
Draw people’s attention to the Son of David – with a loud Hosanna or an invitation to church for Easter Sunday.
Press on through this week with eyes and thoughts on the cross and on the One who willingly lay down His life for His sheep.
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY
Father, as we, the disciples of Christ, enter this week leading up to Easter, a week referred to by many as holy, may we prepare not only our own hearts but may we make known the “Son of David”, whether with loud shouts of “Hosanna!” or simple invitations to our Easter services. May we not hesitate to engage ourselves with the work of the cross for the sake of the lost. May we remember that those who do not know our Savior will face a horrible eternity after death and may this inspire us to follow the example of Jesus and not shrink back or be silent in moving forward to the scene of the cross, the mourning of His death, and the rejoicing in His resurrection and ascension – without which there is no hope. – Father, this Easter may many hear and believe and along with us shout Hosanna to the Son of David!- Amen and Amen in Jesus’ Holy Name – Blessing and honor and glory be Yours both now and evermore 💜🦋
Me From the Inside Out 