Daily Worship

JOHN, CONFUSED AND CONCERNED

Jane Denniston March 16, 2016 0 0

JOHN 12: 12-16

Jesus comes to Jerusalem as king

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

‘Hosanna!’

‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’

‘Blessed is the king of Israel!’

Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written:

‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.’

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realise that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

Jesus, I love you.
I know you love me.
But so often I fail to understand what you are doing,
why you behave the way you do.

I thought I was close to you, 
and yet sometimes I cannot understand you – 
you seem to speak in riddles. 

Why did you let the crowd cheer you when we came into Jerusalem?
It was asking for trouble.
What do you mean when you speak of your heart being troubled?
Why did you wash our feet?
What do you mean when you say you’re going away?
Who is this ‘Advocate’ you say will come.
At the moment, Lord, everything about you seems so confusing
...and so concerning.

You seem very quiet; almost distracted. 

I am confused by what is happening,
and I am concerned – for you, for us, for me.

Jesus, I wish I understood you better 
and could fathom your mind and intentions, 
and more fully grasp your message.

But even though I am sometimes confused,
and even though I get concerned,
I will not turn back.
I love you and I will keep following,
come what may.

Give me strength, Lord, and help me.