Welcome Home

Scanning the incoming travelers, my eyes searched the people in the rear we could barely see coming. My son-in-law’s head would surely poke out above the rest at over six-and-a-half feet tall. I spotted him. “There they are!” I blurted. “Here they come.” My family fanned out along the airport corridor, holding the colorful “Welcome Home” sign the young and the old helped make. Our youngest daughter and her family were finally moving back home after six years of living overseas. Soon, the five of them were in front of us, and after several long hugs and a few happy tears, we headed for the luggage pickup area.

Perhaps you’ve had or witnessed a similar experience–someone’s presence bringing immense joy. It is hard for you to contain your emotions. Luke 19 introduces us to the crowd’s excitement as Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem to celebrate Passover:

As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” (Luke 19:36-40 NLT)

Can you picture it? Voices rising like a tidal wave, crashing through the city, filling the air with praise and adoration. They manifested glory to the King of kings! I love Jesus’ response to the Pharisees, saying the stones along the road would burst into cheers if the crowd kept quiet. Don’t you?

I’m not a Bible scholar who could present a case on whether Jesus’ response was figurative or literal. But I enjoy imagining the earth containing the same enthusiasm as the crowd that day. God gave life to this earth, from the smallest cell to the most complex environment. Indeed, His presence could spark enthusiasm in the mountains’ rocks to shout cheers. I mean, He caused a rock to provide water to the Israelites (Exodus 17:1-6). Why not grant voices to the silent stones providing His celebrated path?

So, why am I sharing my imagination with you? Perhaps it’s a reminder that the Holy Spirit fuels our emotional connection to the Lord. It is God’s powerful energy surging through us. We can give ourselves full permission to express our love for our King with reckless abandon. Lift our arms and voices, shed any fear of what others might think, and invite the Holy Spirit to ignite in us the passion that burned within the crowd who welcomed Him to Jerusalem, shouting and singing praises.

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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.