Wednesday, June 17, 2009

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD ... making an entrance

Most people know that how a person makes an entrance into a place is quite important in establishing how others see him or her. At parties, many people like to arrive "fashionably late" so that everyone else will have already arrived and they can receive a maximum amount of attention. Other people will make alot of noise or create a commotion as they come in for the same reason ... for attention!

I was glad to see that the readers of this blog did not fall into either of these categories. In last week's YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers the following question: "When you make an entrance at a party, what are you most likely to do?" The top 3 responses are...

53% of those voting said that they come early and help with the work.
20% voted and said that they will scout out who is there before making their move.
13% of those polled, said that they will slip in when nobody is looking.

In ancient times, kings would like to "make an entrance". Many of them would have ornate arches made and they would enter their city after a great military victory. I personally visited such places when my husband and I traveled to Rome (the Arch of Constantine) and also in Paris (Napoleon's Arc d'triumph).

(my husband and myself in Rome...see the emperor's entrance-way behind us?)

You would think that the entrance ways for the King of all kings would be most elaborate! When Christ entered Jerusalem long ago, He did enter as a king might have, except for one thing ...Jesus was not concerned about what was fashionable and no arch marked his entrance.

There were many people who treated Jesus as they would have treated another king , they spread clothes and waved branches in front him. These were all appropriate actions for receiving a king, but Jesus made His entrance in a very humble manner. He did not ride on a chariot, or arrived being carried by royalty...instead He rode in on a donkey, which was considered a common servant animal.

ZECHARIAH 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Royalty and kings normally would ride in on majestic warhorses, but Jesus was not just any ordinary King. He was different. If you think about it, you will recall that most kings would ride in AFTER a victory, Jesus' triumphal entry was BEFORE His victory.

Speaking of victory ... a victory for a king and his army could be marked by military power, but the victory of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings was won by suffering and love. His suffering and love at Calvary.

When I think about how Jesus entered Jerusalem on that day that we remember as Palm Sunday, those people who hailed Him really had no idea what kind of a King that Jesus would be. Praise God for the King of Kings, the One who came in the Name of the Lord. The One who is worthy to be praised.

WHAT A KING! WHAT AN ENTRANCE!

Dear Lord...Thank you for being my King of Kings! Help me to not be like that crowd on the first Palm Sunday who praised Jesus in word and song only. May the praise, worship and adoration for my King come straight from my heart! - AMEN.

Wednesday Weekly Word is a special weekly post designated to my personal thoughts of a current study I am doing. This week I was reading the book of Zechariah and was reminded of the majestic arrival of Jesus Christ. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this study with me, what an encouragement all of you are to me and to all WOMEN WHO ARE TAKING A STAND!

YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL ... please take time to vote in this weeks poll. Find it on the side bar of the blog. Your opinion really does matter!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know, I never understood what it meant to arrive "fashionably late," although I have heard the expression before. . . I thought it was considered rude to be on time or early!

LisaShaw said...

Enjoyed your sharing! Glad I was able to stop by. Great photo of you and your husband. God bless you.

Grammy said...

Wonderful words of wisdom. It must have been amazing to see Rome in person.