8 Days to Prepare Your Heart for EasterНамуна

The Day Grace Rode Into Town

By Sharon Jaynes

Suppose you knew that the people who cheered for you one day would sneer at you five days later. That the people who showered you with praise one day would hurl insults the next.

How would you respond to people’s accolades, applause and admiration on a Sunday if you knew those same people would turn their backs on you the following Friday?

That’s exactly what all-knowing Jesus faced when He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey on Palm Sunday. It was the first day of what we’ve come to call Holy Week — a remembrance of Jesus’ last days before His crucifixion.

The prophet Zechariah prophesied about this event in Zechariah 9:9. The crowd gave Jesus a royal welcome, waving palm branches and spreading their cloaks on the road. They shouted joyfully:

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9, NIV).

Hosanna comes from two Greek words: yasha, which means “save or deliver,” and anna, which means “please, I beseech.” The people hoped Jesus would save them from Roman tyranny, but He came to save them from the curse of sin and death. Their shortsightedness prevented them from seeing the eternal kindness of God’s greater plan.

For just a moment, walk beside the donkey in your mind’s eye, and listen to the words Jesus heard: “hosanna … blessed … in the highest!”

Now fast-forward five days and listen to the mob at His trial and execution:

“Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:22-23, NIV).

“He saved others … but he can’t save himself!” (Matthew 27:42a, NIV).

Even though Jesus knew the narrative would change, He continued moving forward. Why? Because of grace — unmerited favor, a gift we could never earn, God treating sinners better than we deserve.

That’s the same grace He offers you and me today. We praise Him one day and put Him off the next. And in our flip-flopping between trusting Jesus and doubting Him, He still loves us, fully knowing our weaknesses and waywardness.

He knew we would both rejoice and rebel, yet grace still rode into town — into my heart and yours. Thank God for His never-ending, overflowing, inexhaustible grace.

Jesus, I’m in awe that You gave Your life for me even though You know everything I’ve done and will do. Thank You for Your amazing grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.