Blessings and Curses – We’ve All Done It By Marcia Laycock

the Cross

The shouts of the crowd were deafening. Men and women crowded the road, throwing their coats down before a man on a donkey. Children waved palm branches, calling out, “Save us! Save us!” (Matthew 21:9). They had been listening to their parents. Indeed, all of Jerusalem was buzzing about a man who’d been dead for four days but had been resurrected. Only one man could do that, the people said. This must be him. This must be the man who would save them from the oppression of the Romans. He would set up a kingdom unlike any they had seen. This Jesus had to be their Messiah.

A few short days later the same crowd, the same men, women and children screamed, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:22). They had discovered this Jesus was not going to do what they wanted him to do. He was not going to drive out the Romans and set up a prosperous kingdom. He was just a man like any other, a man who couldn’t even prevent his own arrest. He had lied to them. He deserved to die.

It’s easy for us to read the accounts of those days and shake our heads at the people. How could they have missed the truth about the kingdom Jesus was going to establish? How could they have so viciously turned against Him?

Perhaps we should pause and think of all the times when we have done the same when God didn’t do what we wanted Him to do. He didn’t get us that job or that raise, or sell that house or car, or make our loved one well again. Just like the crowds on the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem, we have cried out, “save us,” and Jesus didn’t do it. And just like those crowds we became angry and frustrated. We turned our backs on God because He didn’t act according to our will. We stood by and watched while men cursed and crucified Him. We blocked our ears when we heard Him plead softly, “Father, forgive them.” We scoffed at the story of His resurrection. No, we said, this Jesus didn’t do what he should have. This Jesus is no Messiah.

Are you guilty? You’re not alone. All of us have done it. Even his closest friends betrayed Him. The good news is that Jesus still whispered that prayer for forgiveness, He still gave His life for us. He stands now between us and the Father, casting his shadow of righteousness over us so we are acceptable to God. None of our foolishness or stubbornness has stopped Him. He has saved us. All we have to do is accept that act of love. All we have to do is say, “Yes, this Jesus is my Messiah.”

Then we will want to shout from the rooftops – “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9). 

Marcia Lee Laycock writes from central Alberta Canada where she is a pastor's wife and mother of three adult daughters. She was the winner of The Best New Canadian Christian Author Award for her novel, One Smooth Stone. The sequel, A Tumbled Stone was short listed in The Word Awards. Marcia also has three devotional books in print and has contributed to several anthologies, including the Hot Apple Cider books. Her work has been endorsed by Sigmund Brouwer, Janette Oke, Phil Callaway and Mark Buchanan.

Abundant Rain, an ebook devotional for writers can be downloaded on Smashwords or on Amazon. It is also now available in Journal format on Amazon. 

Her most recent release is A Traveler’s Advisory, Stories of God’s Grace Along the Way.

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