The week ahead of us is filled with the unexpected. We would not expect Jesus to arrive, at the height of His popularity, on a donkey. We would not expect the crowd to turn from shouting Hosanna to shouting “crucify Him” in such a short time. We would not expect betrayal by a close friend. We would not expect fear to consume those who had seen Him calm storms, heal the sick, raise the dead. We would not expect hatred and jealousy to be so obvious in the lives of the pastors and Bible teachers. We would not expect the religious elite to be so good at playing political games. We would not expect Jesus to be vilified and crucified. We would not expect God to weep over the city. We would not expect evil and darkness to be defeated, and for God’s love to be revealed, in this coming week.

It’s all coming together this week and in One person, Jesus. May we slow down enough over the next eight days to see Him, and see in Him God’s heart, God’s tears, and God’s promise to us.