Important

What is important to you?  What is really so vital that you have to keep it with you, hang on to it tenaciously and carry it on your journey through life?

Every time I move I seem to carry boxes and items that I only see when I am in the moving process.  They are part of my history, part of my journey ... but are they really important?  I must confess the answer is no!  I need to ask a question ... "Randy ... will you use that where you are going?"

More than any story I can think of (up to this point in Jesus' life) the triumphal entry is a lesson in seeing the real and important.  Nicey told a story Sunday about a little girl asking if her eyelashes were real.  No matter what Nicey said,  the little girl would not believe the lashes were real.  No matter what Jesus said, each person and each group wanted to "see" what He represented from their own perspective.  They kept asking ... "are the you the one we are expecting?" ... "are you the one who will deliver us?" ... "are you going to overthrow the Romans?" ... "are you going to take care of what I want?"  They, like us, saw what they wanted to see.

I hope you will re-read this story from the perspective of "What is important here?"  What is vital to hang onto?  Is is the representation of peace as Jesus rides in on a donkey?  Is it the words from the crowd that shout "Hosanna?"  Is it the palm branches that were placed in the street?  Or is it the reality that the people, the disciples, the Pharisees, the Romans all failed to really see what was real ... the fulfilled prophecy ... the fulfilled law ... the tears for peace ... the beauty of a life lived perfectly ... the internal strife over what lay ahead ... the savior of the world!

As you enter Holy Week, look for what is real in the stories,songs and services.  Keep the true and vital things.  Let the untrue, unimportant and unnecessary go.  See the savior who lived, died and was resurrected for you.  Take Him with you for He will give you everything you really need!  Randy