Palm Sunday -- April 1, 2012

Mark 11:9

"Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!"


On Palm Sunday Jesus rode into Jerusalem to the acclamations of the crowd. They shouted the blessing of Psalm 118:25, 26: "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!"

To come with the name of another is to come as that one's emissary. To come in the name of the Lord is to come as the ambassador of God . . . and an ambassador or emissary comes with the full authority of the one he or she represents.

For instance, the ambassador of the United States to Japan represents the President of the United States of America to the government and people of Japan. He or she acts with the voice and authority of the President and government of the United States. The ambassador comes in the name of the United States government and President.

Yes, Jesus came in the name of the Lord. You may, also. As I may.

Think about "blessing" for a moment. The "blessing" to the one who moves through daily life carrying God's name is not necessarily what we think of as blessing: more wealth, better health, and all things in life working to your advantage.

The "blessing" is simply in being connected to God, being connected to the Source of all things, and carrying a living connection with God into all life. The "blessing" is a life of meaning, a life that matters in the world, a life that brings healing and light into the world's darkness.


For today . . . people noticed in Jesus someone who "came in the name of the Lord." In your life world, who do you know about whom you would say, "She/he comes in the name of the Lord"? That is, who carries God's name, God's being into the situations and circumstances of her/his life? This is NOT someone who is perfect, but rather someone who is real and authentic. Think about who you know. Then ask God to help you recognize your own blessing as you move about "in the name of the Lord."


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