Tag Archives: followers

And So We Wait

Posted on by

As we enter into this Holy Saturday and look back on the week that was, we see Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey to fulfill his destination.

He has had the Last Supper with his disciples and given them this commandment: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34,35

He has been tried, scourged, and nailed to a cross.

And now He is in the tomb; a tomb that is said to have belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy Jewish follower of Jesus.

And so we wait, because it is not over. The best is yet to come. Happy Saturday.

Holy Week – Abba's Prayer Warrior Princess

The Week that Was

Posted on by

It started with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. His devoted followers were waving palm branches, and spreading them on the path before him. According to Wikipedia, the palm branch is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life originating in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world.

What the crowds did not know that day was that Jesus was riding towards his death. His death would fulfill the plan that He had come to earth for thirty-three years earlier; the plan that included a trial, a scourging, and a crucifixion; the plan that He agreed to, to save humanity from the power of sin.

We know today as Palm Sunday, and the week to come as Holy week, but after Easter it will be remembered as the week that was. Happy Sunday.

What Is Palm Sunday and What Do Christians Celebrate?

Our Perception of Life

Posted on by

A friend shared this with me last Saturday morning because I had used the words, I can see clearly now as the finishing touch on a post,  The Plank In My Eye on March 9th. I have always loved the song.  The following is indeed another life lesson in itself, again taken from the song, I Can See Clearly Now written by Johnny Nash in 1972.

Do you know who Johnny Nash is? In my opinion, he is a genius who provided a tremendous life lesson hidden in the lyrics of a great song. If you investigate the meaning behind the message, you’ll discover the impact of his words.

Have you ever realized that your perception of life is the lens through which you view your life? Our perception truly shapes our reality. Is your lens clear, and do you like what you see? Or have you allowed circumstances in your life to cloud up your lens and change your viewpoint and perspective?

“I can see clearly now the rain is gone.”

I love this lyric. Here is a person who has cleaned his lens. The rain was blocking his vision of life. When the “hard rain” is pouring down all around, it’s easy to miss the beauty around you, the opportunities open to you.

“I can see all obstacles in my way.”

This person has arrived at a moment of clarity. Now that the rain is gone, he can finally see the obstacles preventing him from the goals and dreams he has been pursuing without success. Once you define and acknowledge your obstacles, you can create a compelling plan of action to turn these obstacles into tangible opportunities.

“Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.”

Wow, this is such a powerful use of words! We have all experienced “dark cloud” moments in our life. We have been hurt and disappointed. We have experienced losses and unexpected moments of sadness. We have been this close to a major victory only to fall short and have to start over. To me, these powerful words represent a message of hope. The dark clouds in our life will disappear. We will maintain our faith and belief that things can and will work out in the end.

“It’s going to be a bright bright sunshiny day”

Beautiful optimism! What an inspiring and positive outlook this lyric projects. This person has cleared off the lens, recognized the obstacles, removed the dark clouds, and replaced his blindness with a powerful vision. The road ahead is bathed in bright sunshine.

Johnny Nash’s words are open to interpretation, but I believe the rain could have been a series of negative emotions. The obstacles could have been the source of that (rain) pain. The dark clouds could have been the acceptance of those negative emotions causing blindness to the possibilities. The bright sunshiny day could be the moment the person said, “No more! From today forward, I will take hold of my life and choose to look through my lens with the hope, faith, and confidence that a bright future brings.”

Clear your lens and embrace your future – every day. What song has a lot of meaning to you?

Make A Difference Today,
~Paul