“They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest!'”
Matthew 21:7-9
No wonder those people waving palm branches were so excited. They had great expectations of Jesus. This was the one who would throw the Roman oppressors out of the Holy City. He would cast off the burden of taxes. He would feed and protect them, giving them back their national dignity.
But as the week wore on, the mood of the crowd changed. Why wasn’t Jesus making His move? Sure He made a few appearances in the temple, but why did He remain aloof, retreating to a nearby village outside the city walls every night? Why wasn’t He spending time with the “right” people, the political types who got things done?
The mood of the people soured by midweek. And the rest is history. I wonder… are we all that different from those people? When expectations are running high, when we think we’ve got God’s plan neatly figured, when we’ve convinced ourselves that the Lord’s job is to make our lives easier… don’t you think our praises may sound a bit empty?
Do we sing our hosannas to the Most High when Palm Sunday turns into Blue Monday? Let’s not turn on God with lackluster, halfhearted praises when He doesn’t follow through on our expectations. Let’s give Jesus praise for who He is, not what we think He ought to be.
Praise You for who You are and what You intend to do. My only expectation is that You will fulfill Your glorious purpose in my life.
