During the palm entrance of Jesus, those who believed Jesus as the Messiah, waved their palms as spiritual declaration recognizing Him as a gift from God, peace, deliverance, victory. Others waved to show their declaration and hope for military and political triumph over roman enemies, waving their palms in belief that He was their answer to freedom from political oppression. And although they were partly right, He would be their answer for freedom and victory over the enemy, it would be so much bigger than they had in mind.
And then there were those who asked my favorite question to ask myself, especially as I worship and prepare during the Easter season, who is this?
'This is Jesus.'
This is Jesus who even as a boy, underage and unfit, elders were hearing Him and asking Him questions as He taught in the temple. This is Jesus who filled and started sinking two ships of fish in great abundance. This is Jesus who supplied a luxury for His friends at a wedding because of His deep love and dedication for us. This is Jesus who even evil spirits confessed Him to be the holy one of God. This is Him who cleansed the temple because He has the ability to cleanse us.
[art by Jen Tolman]
This is He who sleeps during the storm, not because He doesn’t care, but because He knows perfectly that all will in fact be well regardless of the storm. He Who is aware, conscious, mindful, active. He Who is perfect regardless of our narrow mindedness because does not turn His back, neglect, abandon, or play favorites. There is not one misfit, not one outcast, not one sinner, who Jesus is not saying to them, follow me, and offering them something more. There is not one who Jesus does not see great worth and great purpose and great need of.
This is Jesus, who gives us access to power to change, to renewal, revival, relief. This is He who goes to the hated, the forgotten, the different, the outcasts, the sinners, the excommunicated, and befriends them, calls them to great things, blesses and loves them. He who goes to the shamed, the judged, the detested, ostracized, and sees great worth and great purpose and great need of them. He who sits with sinners, calls the publicans, touches the unclean and impure, forgives in the act, reaches for those sinking, stops for those buried in the crowd, or alone in the heat of the day.
This is Jesus who, even among mass multitudes, blesses us one-by-one, personally and individually. He Who purposely travels where others don’t to help, to teach, to connect, to love, forgive. He Who comes to us when we are facing emptiness, and weeps with us. He Who stops in the middle of a moving masses because He notices us on the ground, in the dirt, buried under the crowd, to heal even lingering impossibilities. He Who meets us where we are and comforts and lifts us. He comes to us because He doesn’t lose sight of us. He Who only exists to bring us to be better and make us better. He Who is yours.
This is Jesus, who will not meet His match with our suffering, our impossibilities are not a struggle, nor an inconvenience, for Him. When everything and everyone says no, Jesus says, I will. While others may fail us, He comes with healing in His wings and compassion that knows no bounds. This is Jesus who stays until we are filled, and we can be whole. There is a love that satisfies.
That is Jesus. That is your Jesus.
xoxAL