The crowd that was going before him and those who were following him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Matthew 21:9
Shout out to your king!
When do you shout? This can happen when you’re frustrated—like when the neighbor’s dog is digging in your yard—again! This might be when you feel like yelling, “It’s time to eat!” Instead of actually locating every hungry person. This can happen when your favorite player has led your favorite team to victory.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, there was cheering. These were not slogans of anger, but of praise. “Hosanna” and “Blessed is He” were the spontaneous choruses that erupted from those who saw Jesus ride into Jerusalem that day.
When was the last time you shouted out to Jesus? Was this your weekly puja? Your daily prayers? Or do you remain less enthusiastic even while praying? Or has it been a long time since you felt the need to say much to Jesus?
Maybe you think there are good reasons for this. It’s hard to get excited about praising Jesus when things in life don’t seem so admirable. You may feel more like yelling at God in frustration than praising Him.
But remember this: Jesus screams for you. When your conscience crushes you under the weight of your sin, Jesus cries out, “My blood has atoned for every sin!” When Satan drives you to the brink of despair, Jesus assures: “I will never leave you; I will never forsake you!
Within days, the Palm Sunday slogan was replaced by “Crucify Him!” Will be taken over by the more frightening cries of. But this was the price your loving Savior was willing to pay. It is our thanks, our praise and even our “Thank you, Jesus!” Is worthy of the slogan.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are truly worthy of all praise. Please accept my praise and console me when I have trouble finding joy to shout about. Amen.
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used with permission from Zondervan. All rights reserved world wide.
