Lent 6: Trusting God to Guide Us

They headed up the mountain into Jerusalem. Jesus on a donkey and his disciples walking alongside. As they made their way into the holy city, the crowds hailed Jesus as the King who comes in the name of the Lord. As they cheer, Jesus weeps for he knows what comes next, for himself and for this city. As the palm branches are thrown down before him, the 12 must have wondered how this fit into the plan that ended at the cross.

The disciples and the crowds wanted a king who would rebuild their nation, kick out the Romans, and usher in a new age of peace. By the end of that week, the crowds would disappear, and the disciples would run away and hide. So… what might we learn from this?

Probably many things, but one thing that might help is to consider the prayer of Jesus just before his arrest. While awaiting Judas and his kiss, Jesus goes apart to pray. “Father if it is Your will, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” Jesus knows that the crowds and the disciples can both be fickle. They want us to make choices that benefit them, not others. They want us to act to bring about peace as they understand it, which is generally whatever fits their agenda. Jesus also knows that we make choices based on our own emotions and doubts.

And when we do, we run the risk of missing out on the best outcome that benefits the most people. The best choice is to always trust God to guide us, even when it takes us straight into the valley of death. The prophet Micah says we are to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, while Moses advised us to revere God, to walk in His ways, to love Him, and to serve our creator with all our hearts and souls.

Learning to make decisions based on loving God will ultimately bring about the best results, not only for ourselves but for those who share this world with us. This Lent, we don’t need to be selfish, or to fall victim to peer pressure, in order to experience the peace that passes all understanding. Pass it on.