April 18, 2011 - God Hears

This past Sunday we celebrated Palm Sunday. We reminisced about the people waving the palm branches as Christ rode into town. We thought about their welcome to the “King.” Yet the same folks were quite possibly in the crowd that yelled for Christ to be crucified.

How could opinions change so rapidly? Simply put Christ did not meet the expectations they had for a political, physical Savior from Rome and its tyranny.

We often see this attitude in the sports world as a new player is labeled the savior of a team or franchise. And when expectations are not met we see the masses turn on them – we question them – we assume we all misjudged them since it didn’t turn out as we envisioned.

As believers we some times get caught up in wrong expectations of Jesus as well. We know that the entrance into Jerusalem was in order to be a spiritual Savior and not at that time for His earthly kingdom. Yet we still have these expectations, and sometimes presentations from preachers, that we are saved in order to make our physical lives become a “rose garden.” My fear is that we have waved our “palm leaves” for the wrong reasons.

The reality of life for us as believers, as was true even for the Apostles, is that it (life) will still be hard. We will not always have it easy. Yet we do always have the opportunity for peace in the midst of the storm. We do have our hope, our assurance, of eternal life as guaranteed through the resurrection. (Study 1 Corinthians 15 in honor of Easter.)

Lately life has had me in a “full-court-press.” It has been crazy and I have felt quite overwhelmed at times. And like most “presses” are intended to do it has at times taken me out of rhythm – out of the game plan (as evidenced by me writing this devotion days late for the web blog…)

The easy, fleshly thing to do is ask, “Why me, God?” Yet the reality is that these times should not discourage me but instead encourage me more to run to His arms. I trusted in a Savior that is there for me, (and will one day even make physical surroundings perfect.)

Are you facing some pressure? Is life a bit overwhelming? Run to His arms!

Psalm 69
1 Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire,
Where there is no standing;
I have come into deep waters,
Where the floods overflow me.
3 I am weary with my crying;
My throat is dry;
My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to You,
O LORD, in the acceptable time;
O God, in the multitude of Your mercy,
Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.

30 I will praise the name of God with a song,
And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Read the full passage of Psalm 69. When life is in the “full-court-press” mode remember a simple truth: God hears.