“God’s personal visit”

In a scene from Leo Tolstoy’s sprawling novel, War and Peace, Napoleon’s army is sweeping through Russia and about to descend on a nobleman’s estate. The nobleman has just died, and his daughter, Princess Mary, offers free food and help in evacuating to the servants who work on the estate. But they refuse her offer. They even imprison her while Napoleon and his soldiers close in. Why? The servants didn’t see the bigger picture of what was happening in Russia at that time. They only wanted the security of staying at home.

In Luke 19:28-48, Jesus entered Jerusalem, marking the beginning of Passion Week. In the Message, Eugene Peterson calls this “God’s personal visit.” As always, the Pharisees missed the significance of this visit entirely, barking at Jesus, “Teacher, get your disciples under control!” (v. 39, The Message) When they saw him, many other people shouted hosannas and flung their coats into the road. How many, though, really looked with understanding at this tableau—God himself, riding a baby donkey down a dusty road into their midst?

Surrounded by people who misunderstood this moment, Jesus cried. Looking into the future, he saw the destruction of Jerusalem’s walls and the suffering of its inhabitants, “All this because you didn’t recognize and welcome God’s personal visit.” (v. 44) And again when he walked into the Temple, he found people busy setting up shops and crowding out worship.

This Passion Week, we have the opportunity to stop, to see God’s bigger story unfolding around us and welcome his personal visit. Like Princess Mary’s peasants and like the people around Jesus, though, I usually don’t grasp the significance of what’s in front of me. I’m too busy keeping order or conducting business or protecting my family’s security.

With David, let’s be alert to God’s presence and purpose in our midst this holy week:

“God’s love is meteoric,

    his loyalty astronomic,

His purpose titanic,

    his verdicts oceanic.

Yet in his largeness

    nothing gets lost;

Not a man, not a mouse,

    slips through the cracks. (Psalm 36:5-6)

P.S. Pastor Graham Baird of Highlands Church, one of our participating churches, has posted some great thoughts on Holy Week over on his personal blog; check it out!