How easy is it to put Jesus on the back burner? Are we putting things in our minds above Jesus and our relationship with him? That happens so easily if we think about, it's not like we can sit down and have a conversation face to face with Jesus right now. I can't text Jesus and ask him if he wants to get dinner with me. I can't hit him up on FaceTime later. All of those things I just named our tangible.
What are we doing with Jesus mentally? Where are we putting him? Is he just in the back of our minds? Are we thinking about the plans we have today before we think about Jesus? Is Jesus even crossing our minds?
I feel like a Debbie downer saying those things, but I am just trying to be realistic here. It's so hard to put Jesus in the right place in our minds. Life is busy and we are all consumed by so many things. Which isn't bad, but it's probably how it shouldn't be. I hate to say it but it's hard to prioritize Jesus sometimes because like I mentioned above, I cannot just ask him to hang out with me right now. It's just easier for us humans to prioritize what is right in front of us.
You're probably wondering why I am talking like this. I read the passage in Matthew chapter 21 this morning about the triumphal entry of Jesus. After reading it through a couple of times, it really got me wondering why we don't treat Jesus like this in our minds.
This story starts with Jesus asking the disciples to go into the village, and to find a donkey and a colt. Jesus knows the donkey and the colt are going to be easy for them to find. Jesus tells them to untie them and to bring them to him. He assures them that if anybody says anything to them that they just need to say, 'The Lord needs them.'
There is a lot of significance in this. Jesus again, knows how things are going to happen and this story fulfills a prophecy. There is also significance in the fact that the disciples were obedient to what Jesus said. If Jesus told us to go to the closest village to untie a donkey and colt and bring them to him, I don't know If I would be totally obedient in that moment. Without their obedience this story never would've happened.
Next, the disciples brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and Jesus 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. As Jesus was passing through, the crowds were following him and shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest." When he made it to Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" The crowds replied with, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee."
You have this beautiful scene here. Everyone is throwing their cloaks on the ground and branches from trees for Jesus as he is riding through. Jesus marching through a city riding a donkey might not be the most exciting thing ever but there is so much importance to this story. These people were laying down their nice cloaks on the dirty road for him. Just so that they could be walked on by the donkey. This really makes me think..the crowds were doing all of this stuff of Jesus. They were putting him and his needs above their own.
Where are we putting Jesus again? Are we putting him in the back of our minds? Or are we laying down the things we have in order for him to be known and for him to be the center of all our attention. It's an important part to think about.
Another thing I like about this story is that the whole city of Jerusalem was stirred up and wondered who this little parade was for. I fully believe with all of my heart when we have Jesus at the top priority in our life, people will ask what makes you different.
That's what I want to leave you with tonight. Where are you placing Jesus and is there a noticeable difference about you because of that?
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