Father, early this morning I woke and discovered tremendous need with people I know in my small corner of the world – a woman dealing with Stage 4 ovarian cancer, a man hospitalized with serious leg issues, and a young man struggling with a recent diagnosis of brain cancer. I personally only know one of these individuals but You know each of them intimately. Father, be with them. Hold them. May they overwhelmingly feel Your love. Amen.

Mark 11:1-11 (<<click to read the passage)

One more phrase jumped out at me from this passage as I read through it last night and I am compelled to look at it a little more closely.

It is a phrase that sits in the middle of verse 10 and then shows up again at the end of verse 11. In most translations, it reads, “Hosanna!”

That word is the Greek translation of a Hebrew word which means “save” or “save now” becoming an exclamation of praise! The crowds were actually quoting from Psalm 118.

“O Lord, save now, we beseech You…” v25a

Like quite a few other times in the Gospels, people from all walks of life proclaimed the Good News of what Jesus came to do without really understanding all the ramifications.

As I’ve stated many times before, they presumed that Jesus was going to save them from the oppressive rule of the Romans. But oh, He came to do so much more! Yes, they were in bondage to the Roman Empire but they, and we alike, were in bondage to something far greater – something from which no king or conqueror could ever set them free. And that bondage was Sin.

The Amplified Version actually translates the beginning of Mark 11:10 as, “Hosanna (Save, I pray)!” And in God’s mighty providence that prayer was answered in a glorious way!

Remember my favorite verse? It is Ephesians 1:4.

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”

Lord Jesus, I loudly proclaim that You have provided for us in a mighty way before we even came into existence, before the world was even created! And once again I would plead before Your holy throne, “Hosanna! Save, I pray!” We need that salvation today as much as ever! We are blind… We are starving… We are naked… And many of us don’t even know it! Lord, save us, for only through You can salvation be found! All these things we ask in Your strong and mighty Name! Amen!

June 20th, 2019, Thurs, 9:02 pm