From Hosanna to Halleluiah

Last night as the ticking of the clock continually reminded me it was past my bedtime I could not help but think about Jesus and the week before Easter. For me the most reflective time on the Christian calendar is, holy week, the last week Jesus spent on the earth. My mind tried wishing me to sleep but I was filled with the realization that our Christian walk is very much like that final week in Christ’s life.

When we first become Christians was are so excited and it envelops so much of our daily moment to moment life. I was in high school the first time I really asked Christ to come into my heart. My whole attitude changed. I was on a mountain high and all I needed was God, I even broke up with my boyfriend. I often felt like yelling out loud all day praises to Him. Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem that day was filled with the people cheering and praising His name. They had seen who He was and understood that God had sent them a messiah who would save them and restore Jerusalem.

A few short days later Jesus was watched by the temple leaders of the time. They were looking for any reason to catch him and arrest him. They wanted Jesus out of their way. During the trial the same people who cheered and praised his holy name were calling for Jesus’ head. We can be just like those people. After a number of months or years of following God and His ways we begin to think we could do things so much better. We grow tired of doing what God calls us to do. We want to be in charge of our life. It seems so difficult and so we deny the one we loved and praised a short time ago to go out on our own way. Of course our way apart from God will eventually get us in trouble. Before we know it was are so far from Him, we are unrecognizable. Things seem hopeless much like they must have seemed to the disciples after Jesus was crucified. What a dark day we see in Good Friday. The one the disciples thought was the savior was killed and in a tomb. How brilliantly blessed we are to know this is not the end of the story. Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples to prove that through him death has no hold. In our own spiritual walk we become aware that we can not remain in the dark place of hopelessness. We must reach out to God and allow Him to change us into the creation He molded us to be from the time we were in our mother’s womb.

Can you image the emotions the disciples experienced for Palm Sunday to that miraculous Easter morning? When I glance at my walk with God is can witness all the steps from my first Hosanna to the grace of Halleluiah. I recognize that I will step along that same road from beginning to end several more times in my life. My prayer is that as I mature in relationship with Him I will spend less time in Good Friday and more time rejoicing on that Easter morning.