Pastoral Page

Today is Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday heralds the last week of Jesus Christ’s ministry before Easter. Jesus on this day entered Jerusalem on a donkey in fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Jesus was greeted by a cheering crowd who waved palm branches as a sign of allegiance, hence the name of Palm Sunday. The remainder days of the week went by quickly and were filled with significance. Jesus foretold the signs of His second coming, He gave His last public teachings, and He instituted the Lord’s Supper, and died on the cross for the redemption of the sins of the world. This week is so significant that it is traditionally called the Holy Week. It is a time of our final preparation for Easter and personal spiritual renewal. For years I used to observe the Holy Week by Bible reading, prayers, and, in younger days, fasting. In order to experience renewal and revitalization at Easter, these are the necessary spiritual disciplines. I usually followed the lectionary of the Daily Office Book to the great benefit of my soul. May I suggest that this week you follow this Bible reading schedule, inserted for your convenience, for meditation as part of your spiritual exercise for Easter. Let us heed God’s admonition in Romans 13:11-12, 14: “The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now then when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." Let us so prepare ourselves that we may press forward through the sins and tears of Good Friday to the life and joy of the Easter morning. God bless you and yours with a blessed Easter. With love in Christ Jesus, Pastor Ling