Unsuspecting

Have you ever been blind sided? Maybe a bill showed up. Maybe a bad report from the doctor or news of a job change? Maybe life just hasn’t turned out like you had planned?

Relationships in families become difficult, your company is bought out and a fresh, full of energy young boss shows up, new neighbors move in and the climate in the neighborhood changes dramatically, or a friendship erodes leaving you standing with your heart in your hand . . . again. This isn’t how you wanted life to be. You/we feel stress from every direction.

We hadn’t planned or anticipated how big the changes were possibly going to impact the next season of our lives. Many times the saying – “well, I never saw that one coming” – fits perfectly.

These scenarios and whatever ones you bring to this discussion are all part of life. These are the chapters we thought we could skim through and avoid the painful impact they would have on our lives.

The truth is, these chapters are the ones we need to pay closest attention to.

These experiences and how they change us, determine the outcome of our stories.

The older I become, the deeper my heart breaks for the hurting world because my own heart has been broken so many times in so many ways. I connect deeply with broken hearts.

If we had the opportunity to maneuver around these scenarios or whatever ones invaded our world, would we? I know I would not have chosen the scenes where my heart breaks, but God uses my heart in ways that reflect His healing. The story would have been written differently, but not as a testimony to His love.

I ponder the morning Jesus told the disciples to go and bring a colt they would find tied nearby.

Yes, a colt for the King.

To be ridden into the city amidst the crowds worshipping Him and rejoicing in His presence.

Here’s why I still stand amazed. All my life I have heard the stories of Palm Sunday. It’s such a beautiful story. Today, because we know what happens in the next several chapters, we likely would have ended up on the other side of the Jordan river heading into exile to avoid the rest of the story.

But, Jesus knew. He knew what was going to happen and where His entry into the city would end. But Jesus got on that little colt and He rode. He rode straight into the hard part of the story. The thing is – He knew every detail that would unfold as this chapter was being written. He was not blindsided. No one else around knew. But Jesus knew.

And He still got on that colt.

He knew the story would end up with Him nailed to a cross. He willingly went knowing betrayal await Him. When my heart breaks, often through betrayal, Jesus is the one I go to with the pieces in my hand and Jesus holds all of me. Every broken piece. I go to Him because I know He knows betrayal.

How many of us willingly head into a situation where betrayal lays in wait? Any hands raised out there? Not me. It has happened too many times in my life and continues today and will be part of my story until the last chapter is written. It hurts.

But, Jesus knew and He went. For us.

Our sins hung on the cross with Him that day. Our redemption came down off the cross with Him. We live forgiven and redeemed. As we live our lives unsuspecting, not knowing what betrayals and disappointments lay in wait for us until our last chapter of life on this earth is written, we know with confidence that we will be in eternity with Him.

Jesus willingly rode the colt into the city that day knowing full well what was going to happen in the next week. He knew.

Luke 19:41 He approached Jerusalem. When he saw the city, he began to sob.

Jesus knew exactly what was waiting for Him and still He prodded the colt forward. He went knowing the betrayal that lay ahead.

There lies the deepest, purest love that could ever become part of our story.

“Thank You, Lord. Thank You for what You did and what You continue to do today as You prepare the way for us to be eternally with You. We praise You. We love You. Forgiveness, Redemption, Love. Amen”