Scripture reading
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!
–Luke 19:37-38
Thought of the Day
We began our early morning Holy Week Bible Study today. After a great breakfast our senior high youth sang a praise song and then we talked a little bit about that Palm Sunday two thousand years ago. I asked them to think about why Jesus all of a sudden decided to say, “Now.” Meaning, it was now the time for the disciples to praise and revere and to honor Jesus as the King. You know, there were so many times that Jesus could have allowed the crowd to worship and praise Him. When he fed the multitudes that day, surely someone thought about celebrating the fact that Jesus pulled off that amazing miracle. Surely someone wanted to celebrate Jesus being the caterer of the year or something. How about the time Jesus calmed the storm? You mean no one wanted to shout it from the mountain top that He was more powerful than Rocky or Samson or whomever? I have to know that every time Jesus healed someone, one of the disciples was ready to make a giant sign and open up a clinic. Each time, Jesus must have held up one of his amazing hands and say to the disciples, “Not now.” You see, He knew when the time would be right.
That time is now. On that Sunday a long time ago, Jesus said to the crowd, “Now is the time.” It was time to praise and worship Him. It is still that time. Can you even imagine how the world might change if each of us woke up each morning and decided how we were going to worship and praise God each day? Let’s try it. Now is the time.
Prayer
Lord, I am ready to worship and praise and love and serve You. Amen.