Be led forth in peace
When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel!”
– From John 12
Silence sits lightly on the empty avenue. Thousands of birds have furled their wings for the night. The rocks of the roadway rest, grateful for a quiet evening. A donkey colt slumbers in the dark, and Jesus plans to enter Jerusalem. His disciples sleep.
Soon a delicate brush of color paints the eastern sky. Dawn calls and birds chirp themselves awake. They sing spring songs. The rocks cry out in their special silence, and early sunlight splashes one cobblestone after another. Babies cry, fathers yawn, mothers begin ablutions of the day. Jesus wakes his disciples and they begin to make their way.
This is no small thing, the arrival of Jesus. When he called Lazarus from his tomb and Lazarus came, then overnight the preacher’s name became a household word. Everyone knows the name of Jesus now, and many also know the Jewish leaders are not pleased. Jesus is in danger. Will he attend this Passover?
At first the disciples lead the donkey, but then near the city gate Jesus mounts up and rides. Yes. Here he is! Breakfast pushed aside, everyone comes out. The streets fill up, children sit perched on window sills, there is barely room for Jesus’ colt to walk.
Someone brings a great green leaf and lays it down before him. Walk here, they say, and then there’s another leaf, and another, and another. The donkey walks right on over the leaves and carries Jesus into Jerusalem.
The disciples had hoped this might be a quiet entry so they could hold the secret of Jesus’ presence and avoid confrontation, but that was not what Jesus heard his Father doing. This was joy in the morning, this was praise and worship of the Son of David and the King of Kings. This was Holy Spirit Rejoicing, the mountains and hills shouting with joy, even the rocks crying out their ancient hosannas.
There is no secret here.
Jesus’ gentle piercing eyes see further. He sees fear on the face of demons no one else can see. He sees the fear mix again with ridicule and pride, and knowing how this will end, Jesus turns his eyes away. There is never any hurry with God. Jesus knows this now more than ever. Soon and very soon, in the fullness of time this evil will be destroyed. But not now, not yet.
Jesus hears Satan screeching along the edges of the crowd. But those sour notes are drowned by something strangely new, rising up in trees, a sound not heard for thousands of years. The trees of faraway forests, the trees of the nearby street, the trees of the field know the coming of the Lord. They share their giant leaves, and clap their hands.
In that absolute applause, Jesus walks straight on into the dance.
So we dance too, Lord, and celebrate your coming to the party, our guest of honor, Lord of Lords. Could we not just capture this moment now and for always? Not go on? Could THIS moment be found in the fullness of time, right now, this fine morning full of praise and worship, laughter, joy, such great applause from all creation? Can we just stop now, Lord, and love you forever?
 http://www.davesandel.net/category/lent-easter-devotions-2018/
http://www.christiancounselingservice.com/archived_devotions.php?article_id=1693
