One of our greatest struggles is living in the “Now.” The simple reality is that we miss the present because we are living in the past or for the future. Yet the simple truth is… all that we have is the “Now!” I was recently reminded that the Creator, who has worked in the past and will work in the future, works in the present. It you stop to think about it, all that you can control is the “Now.”
This past week we took time to unpack Palm Sunday from a Biblical perspective. There are many religious traditions tied to Palm Sunday and they often veil the motivation behind the events that would happen during the week prior to Easter. I was captivated by the open work used in Matthew’s gospel on the account known as the “Triumphal Entry.” It is a brief narrative of Jesus’ coronation as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
It is amazing how God works in the “Now.” A traditional coronation for royalty would be marked with a king’s displays of worldly power, wealth and even possessions. It would not be uncommon for a King to wear a special robe with plenty of what some today might call Bling! He would be transported through his capital in an extravagant carriage or on the finest of steeds. His entourage would include both secular and religious dignitaries, along with his finest troops. The coronation would be an over the top event filled with tradition revealing the glory of the new ruler before his audience.
I am reminded in the simple narrative account of Jesus’ coronation that our God works in the now. Jesus humbly rides a colt into his capital, Jerusalem, that is borrowed. His entourage is the common people. The displays of royalty are seen as the people place their cloaks and palm branches before Him as a “red carpet.” The orchestra or band is simply the voice of His people singing His praise with a Messianic chant. What a beautiful picture of the “Now” of the moment.
The one thought from many that I want you to consider is “What an opportunity!” And imagine how easily it could be missed. I am sure that there were those with a full schedule. There would have been those who were not interested. There had to be some that thought that there would be other opportunities. But that is not how God works. He works in the Now.
The danger for many of us is that we miss being a part of what Jesus is doing by living in the past. We are holding onto some offense of days gone by that blind us to what He is doing now. Or on the other hand we are sacrificing for some future outcome that also blinds us to what God is doing now. This past March, I celebrated 37 years as His follower. I can tell you that where Jesus is things are happening. The “Now” moments are not just happening in public services, but those quiet moments in the Word. They are not limited to structured events, but also are seen in those one on one encounters, that are common in our daily lives.
This week as we celebrate Easter, I want you to consider that we are not just Celebrating what Jesus has done for us, or what it guarantees us in the future, but that it reminds us that He is working in the Now. Let’s not miss out! The “Now” is all we have.
-Pastor Joe Parkinson