Palm Sunday Hosannas!

       Palm Sunday.  The first day of Holy Week, a time for remembering...for reflection...and ultimately for rejoicing that our King has come.  He has come for us and for our redemption.
       On this Palm Sunday we recall Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a colt while the Passover crowds yelled their joyful "Hosannas"--
       "Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, 'Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once.'  This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet saying, 'Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'  The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.  They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and He sat on them.  Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  And the crowds that went before Him and that followed Him were shouting 'Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!' And when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, 'Who is this?'" (Matt.21:1-10)
      Yet we all know that many of these very folks shouting "Hosanna," would in a few short days, be hollering "Crucify Him!"  

      Christ was not quite who they had in mind--the conquering, thundering Messiah.  And Jesus didn't quite do what they desired--defeat their Roman oppressors.  And so they turned on Him. Their joyful Hosannas changed into jeers and hatred.  And why?  Because Jesus had confused them, disappointed them, and failed to meet their superficial expectations for a rescuer of their nation.  
       Ah, but He had come for so, so much more.  He came to rescue not just their nation, but the nations of the world.  He came not just to conquer their enemy of Rome, but to annihilate and destroy all mankind's ultimate enemy of sin and death.  He came not to free them from Roman oppression, but to liberate all who are enslaved by fear, pride, shame, sinful habits, destructive addictions.  
       Jesus came not just to win a skirmish or two...but to victoriously and completely win the War.            But wars can be long, protracted affairs where victory is never secured after a battle...or two..or three. No, wars slog along with battles won here and lost there.  With ground gained and lost.  With successes achieved and failures suffered.  Until finally, finally the ultimate victory is won.       
      So the question is--are we willing to wait out the war--that is, willing to trust Him in the midst of all the battles as we anticipate His final, ultimate victory?  Will we trust Him in that gap between our hopes and our disappointments?  When we can't fully understand what He's up to, will we continue to praise Him with our Hosannas or will we degenerate into "Crucify Him?" 
      As I contemplate this Palm Sunday, I couldn't help but ask myself: what would I have been shouting?  Oh Father, forgive me for how often I'm unwilling to wait and to trust in those gaps when I don't see or understand what You are doing.  Forgive us, Lord, when our praises too quickly turn into complaining, whining, and doubting. 
       For You are always moving, working, transforming, restoring, and redeeming.  Even in the disappointments...and the waiting...and the wondering.  So we place our trust in You.  Eternal Hosannas to our King!  To God be the glory.