Lectio Divina: Palm Sunday

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” — Luke 19:38

REFLECTION

As Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, people were excited and eager to welcome him. Greeting Him with branches, they called Him a king. They cried out that He was there in the name of God. Everything seemed perfect. The people got it. They understood Jesus’ identity and His mission.

These same people would do a complete turn in a matter of days. From exalting to condemning. From praising to cursing. From placing him on a throne to hanging Him on a cross. Some of us might think, “If I were there, I would’ve stood by Jesus in the good times and in the bad!” Friends, how often have we betrayed God in the darkness—in the silence of our lives? How often have we gone from singing worship songs to yelling at Him for taking something from us? We mock Judas for turning him in for some money, but we often betray him for free!

Palm Sunday — and Holy Week as a whole —challenges us to look at our lives and hearts. The Gospels propose a question: who sits on the throne of our hearts? It is an uncomfortable question, maybe even a painful one, but we must answer it. Is Jesus the King of our lives, or are we too comfortable on the throne that belongs to Him?

QUESTIONS 

1. Do I exalt Christ in one moment and freely condemn Him in the next moment?
2. Am I happy to be associated with Jesus, or am I nervous about what others will say?
3. What is the state of my heart as we begin Holy Week? Where can I make amends?
4. How can I remain faithful to Christ, even when it gets rough?
5. Who really sits at the throne of my heart? If it’s not God, how can I learn to surrender it to Him?