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One Week Later

by Jerry Ousley  
3/28/2009 / Holidays

A lot can happen in a week. We can make all sorts of plans in reference to what we are going to do on the coming weekend but seven days can see much change and our plans may be scrapped or put on hold because of situations that can arise days before.

One of my favorite pet peeves is the weather. Now I know that no one has been able to completely and totally predict what the weather is going to be like seven days from now. Sometimes it even changes from day to day. But it sure has a way of wrecking plans doesn't it? They tell us that the weekend is going to be gorgeous, sunshiny and warm. But when the day comes we plan to dress in our shorts, Hawaiian shirts and sandals expecting to rollick and have fun in the sun, only to wake up to the steady rhythm of rain. That's one way to soak up plans!

On the day we now call "Palm Sunday," the day that Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, and the people spread palm leaves and their outer garments in the road for the donkey to walk on just like they would have if they were welcoming a new king, I'm sure most of those people had other plans for the following week.

It was only a week later when many, but not all, of this same crowd gathered in front of Pilate's judgment seat as Jesus stood there, beaten, bleeding, and with a crown of thorns pushed down on His head. When Pilate asked them what he should do with Jesus, the mob with the Pharisees began to cry out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" and many of those who one week earlier had cried "Hosanna" now cried out with the majority. People don't like to stand out in a crowd. The normal reaction of most of the population will fall in behind what the popular vote is and just ride with the crowd. That's what many of these Jews did; they fell in with the group not wanting to stand out, whether they believed Jesus to be Messiah or not, and didn't make waves.

People today aren't really much different. They still want to be with the majority. We see it in our school children, high school students, college students, and even in adults. Somehow we think we may suffer, or risk not having friends or not being liked if we don't follow suit. But as believers we must stand out of the crowd. We can't hold on to the convenient life offered by our self-made society and hold on to Christ with the other.

Yes, I like convenient things. Who doesn't? But the day has come when commitment to Jesus is extremely necessary. It must come regardless of blessing or prosperity. It must come as a result of truly believing on the Messiah and not just the wonderful things that come from Him. I believe God wants to bless His people but it is time His people realize that it really isn't all roses and birds singing. Sometimes there are weeds to get through and sometimes the birds turn out to be buzzards. But even then we must stand firm and keep our eyes on Jesus.

So what's it going to be? Are we going to spread palm leaves and cry out "Hosanna" today and "Crucify Him!" tomorrow? When it isn't popular to be a Christian, or we find that believer's are suddenly being ridiculed and persecuted, will we stand in faith, and be true to our Lord? When the world is crying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" will we be willing to step away from the crowd and say, "How can we crucify our Master?" It isn't easy stepping away from the crowd and allowing ourselves to become a spectacle, but then, Jesus did pray that even though we wouldn't be taken out of the world, neither would we be a part of it. If we are true believers in Christ the day will come when we have to make a choice. We will either have to stand with the crowd and shout, "Crucify Him," or we will have to take a stand and be willing to take the consequences. As for me, how could I ever agree to crucify the One who has given me true life? What about you?

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.? Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.

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