The Praise
that Jesus walks on
by
Eric Himes
Matthew 21:6-11
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on
them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their
cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees
and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him
and those that followed shouted,
"Hosanna to the Son of David!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Hosanna in the highest!"
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and
asked, "Who is this?" The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the
prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
Recently I prayed that Jesus would show Himself to me. Soon I
had a strange vision in which He did…I saw what I thought was
a dark green forest of trees. When my sight became clear I
realized that it wasn’t a forest at all but a wall of waiving
palm branches. A large crowd of people were praising and
holding their palm branches as Jesus rode before them, on a
donkey, through the city. It was Palm Sunday.
Now I never saw Jesus in this vision, only the palms that were
waiving before my eyes. They were very thick, rich and freshly
cut. Every palm was lush and olive in color though they were
all different in shape and in size. They seemed to be alive
but I knew that they weren’t for they were cut off; they had
no root.
The scene was terrifying because we were missing Jesus’
triumphal entry; the palms were in our way. I was frustrated
that the crowd would not put their palms down on the ground
where they belonged. Though I never saw Jesus, I knew—I was
convinced—that He was on the other side of this lavish emerald
façade of palm branches and people. I was compelled to scream,
“Put down your branches! We need to humble ourselves to see
the King!”
The vision was simple enough to understand. I knew that the
branches the crowd held represented praise and that they were
unwilling to let it go. They had been smart enough to know
that the King was coming and inspired enough to go out of
their way to find a beautiful branch in order to praise Him.
But they were deceived. They were fascinated with their palm;
they would not put it down or let it go or get it dirty. In
the end, they praised their praise.
Jesus motioned for His procession to halt. He slowly rode his
donkey and stopped right before me. But I could not see Him! I
know He was there because I sensed His presence, I smelled
Him, I felt His warmth. Right there, He was standing right
behind the jungle that blocked my sight. I could not see
beyond all the green branches that surrounded me. I could not
see above or to either side of all these palms. When I looked
down and realized that I was holding a large palm branch right
before my face. No matter how hard I tried or forced myself I
could not put my branch down. I was holding onto my praise.
And I knew that He was right there…waiting…ready to enter and
walk into my city and town and school and Corps but unable
because He had no path. He was isolated because He needed to
walk on our praise. Not only did He want me to put down my
palm so I could really see Him, but He wanted me to walk with
Him. He wanted me to follow Him on a highway known as the Way
of Holiness.
Isaiah 35:8-9
And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not journey on it;
it will be for those who walk in that Way;
wicked fools will not go about on it.
No lion will be there,
nor will any ferocious beast get up on it;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
and the ransomed of the LORD will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
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