King of Glory

Imagine yourself standing at the side of the road, just outside the towering gates of first century Jerusalem.  You and the thousands of other people have come today because of one man.  Even though you have traveled willingly, you don’t really know why you’re here. You have seen this man a few times over the past couple of years.  Who is he?  Some say he is a king or a prophet; others say Messiah.  It can’t be.  Can it?  And yet you are drawn.

“Who is this King of Glory that pursues me with his love?
And haunts me with each hearing of His softly spoken words”

You start to hear people a little further outside the walls saying “here he comes”.   The people nearer to you start to shout, joy in their voices.

“ ‘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)

But wait.  He is not being carried by a team of servants.  He is not even on a noble steed, but on a donkey.  How can this be a king?  But then you remember the prophet.

“ ‘Say to Daughter Zion,
See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Isaiah 62:11)

He comes into your view.  Although he scans the crowd, with a peaceful smile of humility, he looks directly at you.  Your heart leaps and feels empty and full, happy and sad, all at the same time.  Yet your spirit feels complete and at peace.  This moment of eyes locked with his seems to last an eternity; you are here, everywhere, nowhere in this beautiful eternal now.

He passes by and the crowd disperses.  Some follow Him into the city and yet others mill about, seemingly in a state of awe and confusion.  You are among them.  What just happened?  The afterglow of the moment feels almost Holy.  Yet, a feeling of impending tragedy starts to seep into your consciousness.

This song by Third Day, who I had the privilege of seeing live last summer thanks to an awesome birthday gift from Greta, is a perfect soundtrack for Christ’s entry into Jerusalem on this Palm Sunday.  It’s quiet start, building to a rolling crescendo of choir, is certainly the song of a King (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqo-adRyM_k).

“My spirit’s ever longing for His grace in which to stand
Who is this King of glory, Son of God and son of man?”

We celebrate prophecy fulfilled on this day.  It is a wild contrast of joy and a coming sorrow.  The next week will be filled with words of wisdom, a simple meal of celebration, and watching a humble servant wash the feet of His friends.  I encourage you, don’t miss out on any part of it.

“His name is Jesus, precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty,
The King of my heart
The King of glory”

So relish the joy of this day.  Our King of Glory comes to us.  Hosanna in the highest!  But, start to think about the choices which will come these next few days, choices made two millennia ago out of love for us.  Choosing to stand and face all of history and all of eternity, humbly accepting pain because I am everything to Him.  And He is everything to me.