“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward all” (Luke 2:14).
Emmanuel…
the answered prayer…
the Son is born…
God with us!
From His earliest moments in the manger to His triumphal entry, Jesus was misunderstood. Thirty-three years after His miraculous birth, He was riding a donkey into Jerusalem, where He was welcomed as King. John 12:13 says that shouts filled the air:
“They were “shouting, “Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
Their cry was “Hosanna,” which literally means “Please deliver us!”
The Hebrew words ‘yasha’ (“deliver, save”) and ‘anna’ (“beg, beseech”) combine to form the word we recognize as “Hosanna.”
“Please deliver us!”
What were these crowds asking to be delivered from? What were they desperate for? They were desperate for a conquering King—an earthly king who would overthrow the oppressive Romans who walked the streets of Jerusalem like they owned the place. The Romans belittled, they cursed, they controlled, they oppressed and the residents were tired of it. Something had to change!
But, like so many times in our own lives, they were looking for a physical solution to a spiritual problem. Jesus wasn’t on this earth just for them—for that place, for that time—there was something MUCH bigger happening and most of them missed it.
And, sadly, if we are honest, we miss it too. So many people around us are looking for “their best life now,” instead of entering into the epic story that God offers us all for eternity!
May this Christmas season be one filled with hope for you and your family! Why not set aside five minutes of your Christmas celebration to experience what Christmas is like in Rwanda? We filmed a short video to show what a typical Christmas is like in Rwanda and you are invited to share it with us!