IN MEMORIAM: For the faithful life of a beloved Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) leader, presented here is a 2007 devotion on this scripture from C. William Nichols, former Interim Minister of National City Christian Church. May his reflection continue to warm our hearts and inspire our vision for this congregation. To God be the glory!
Saturday, April 13
It was a day of agony and ecstasy. Oh, the ecstasy was there, to be sure: the thrilling reaction of an enthusiastic crowd of people, giving Jesus the adulation he so richly deserved.
But there was also agony that day. Those closet to Jesus saw it in his eyes and heard it in his voice as he drew near the city. As he crested that hill and looked down to see the city spread out before him, he wept. Those near him witnessing that unexpected display of sorrow were nonplussed. Didn’t he know that everything he had wanted, worked for, prayed for, was about to become his? He has spoken repeatedly of his new kingdom that was coming, and here – ready to receive him – was that city that would be the political base of that new regime.
Here was the agony: the realization that despite their protestations of allegiance to him, what they really wanted was something quite different from what he wanted. They wanted him to be their kind of king. They had no interest in being his kind of kingdom.
Still today, what he wants from us is not so much the excitement of clamorous praise, but the quietly heroic offering of humbled lives, willing to become instruments of his grace.
Prayer: As Jesus looks over our city this day, Oh God, may our humble obedience honor him. Amen.
C. William Nichols