The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!” (John 12:12-13).
As members of the church waved their palm branches on Palm Sunday, I wondered, “Why do we do this? What is the significance of palm branches today or when Jesus made His triumphant entrance to Jerusalem?”
With a little internet research, I discovered some interesting facts about palm branches. They were used for celebration during King David’s time, so the branches were a symbol of royalty. Another interesting tidbit: It takes 30 years for a palm tree to bear fruit and a man couldn’t become a high priest until he was 30 years old. Jesus was 30 when He began His ministry. Coincidence? No, God ordained it, declaring Jesus as a High Priest.
Waving the palms in the air and placing them on the road as Jesus entered, meant they considered Him to be a King and a High Priest. What a wonderful way for God to proclaim that Jesus was the King of kings!
As I looked at my palm branch, I noticed a brown spot on one of the leaves, a blemish. All of the palms waving in the air didn’t touch my soul, but the blemish did. For me, it represented my sin which the King of kings took with Him to the cross.
Today my palm branch is wilted, because it has had no connection to its root system for several days. It is slowly dying and will one day be brown and shriveled because the root system is what gave it life.
Our King of kings, our Savior, our Christ Jesus is our Root system. If we are not connected to Him, we will slowly shrivel and die under a heavy burden. So hold on tightly to your Root system where you will receive nourishment, so you can flourish in this world.
But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalm 92:12-13).
Oh, what Blooming Crazy Love our Savior has for His children, that He would take our sins upon himself and carry them to the cross, so we might have life everlasting. Freeing us from the burden of our sins and becoming our Root system to sustain us each day!
HAPPY EASTER!
