I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? —Isaiah 43:19 (NRSV)
Normally I delete those forwarded e-mails with cute or sentimental stories without even reading them. I receive so many, and when it comes to Internet profundity, I just don’t have the time.
But for some reason I read the one I received on Palm Sunday. It told the story of a little boy who had to stay home from church because he had a cold. After the service, his older sister came home, waving her palm frond in the air. “What’s that?” asked the little boy.
She answered smugly, “We wave these in the air and then put them on the ground to welcome Jesus.”
The boy started wailing and fled the room. When his mother held him and asked what was wrong, he said through his tears, “The one Sunday I don’t go to church, Jesus showed up!”
Today’s the day Jesus shows up—in our churches, in our hearts, in our minds. We’ve been waiting for Him all our lives. Are you ready? Will you be there? Don’t let an ailment—physical, emotional or spiritual—keep you from the warmth of Jesus’ dramatic entrance into our lives.
Today is the first day of the most exciting, harrowing, tragic, grief-stricken and ultimately joyous week of our year. Don’t miss it. Don’t hit Delete. Show up, take the Lord’s hand and begin the journey.
Jesus, don’t let anything keep me from You this day, this week, this life!
READ MORE ABOUT PALM SUNDAY: