God2Share

Pictures from Timehop on Facebook always delight me.

I love when images of my 6 foot plus boys pop up from when they were playing Little League or outside in the snow with friends.

Especially at this time of year, shots of Easter egg hunts and family dinners make my heart full.

It all seems to change in the blink of an eye.

I believe that those closest to Jesus felt the same during His last week on earth.

There was no Timehop back then, but scripture gives us a snapshot of the days leading up to Jesus’s crucifixion.

It all seemed to change on the blink of an eye.

On what we know as Palm Sunday, the crowds welcome Jesus as He rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, waving palms and cheering.

“Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around Him were shouting, 

 “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in the highest heaven!”  Mark 11: 9-10 NLT

On Thursday, Jesus sits down to eat for the last time with His disciples, whom He calls friends.

Jesus knows that one among them will betray Him.

“When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve.  While they were eating, He said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me.  For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago.  But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays Him.  It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”  Matthew 25:20-24 NLT

It all seemed to change in the blink of an eye.

After being betrayed by one of His own, Jesus is brought before the crowds, the same crowds shortly before that had welcomed and praised Him.

But there was no more cheering for our King.

“Then a mighty roar rose among the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill Him, and release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder). Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus,  But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Luke 23: 18-21 NLT

One minute, welcomed with open arms.

The next minute being sent to death, by the same crowd that embraced Him.

This image strikes me at my very core.

Because I know in my heart that there are days that I welcome Him with open arms, and others that I am distracted by the world and want to go with the crowd.

Where do you find yourself this Holy Thursday, friends?

We do not need TImehop to remind us how quickly things can change.

Remember that our heavenly Father sent His Son to take our place on that cross.

Each of us is given unexplainable grace because Jesus came to earth in human form to understand our joys and our sorrows.

He knew what it was like to be the center of attention one moment and betrayed the next.

Knowing that He would suffer greatly, He chose the cross anyway.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross.”  Phillipians 2:8 NLT

He did that for you and for me.

May that be the image you return to as you remember the gift of His love this Easter and always.