WALKING WITH JESUS AND PRAISING HIM

 This week, I am exploring what God says about Walking with Him.  As I enter prayer now, I reflect on God’s instruction from Colossians 2:6: Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. 

Lord, teach me today about walking with You.   

I desire to learn how to clear distractions away  

so I can hear You clearly as You lead me.   

Let me consider the Word of God from Luke 19:37-44: 

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” 

Known as “the Triumphal Entry,” the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem represented a turning point in His ministry.  After three years of ministry, people desired to celebrate and announce Him as a king. It was common to give praise to the king.  David acknowledged King Saul as “the Lord’s anointed.”  In doing so, he expressed loyalty not only to the king, but also to the Lord. 

The Pharisees, however, did not appreciate people proclaiming Jesus as their king.  They felt doing so would usurp the power that they had.  They wanted Jesus to tell His disciples to change the message, specifically, that declaring Him king was wrong.  Jesus’ reply told the Pharisees that the message was not only true, but if His disciples didn’t declare it, God would animate stones to proclaim the message. 

Jesus knew what lay ahead for Him.  He wept for the people because they did not recognize the time of God’s coming. 

Lord, Do I recognize the time of Your coming? I desire to be prepared to receive You as my King! 

As we see in the example of Queen Esther that God sent her for such a time as this, God has likewise prepared me for such a time as now.  First, I need to recognize God’s timing.  Do I want Jesus to move for my purposes or for His kingdom?  If I’m not shouting about His peace and glory, will the stones cry out? 

Lord, through You there is peace in my heart as Your glory shines in my life.  in Jesus’ Name. Amen.