Scripture Reading: Luke 19:1-48, Psalm 100:1-5, Zechariah 9:9
There is unfathomable abundance in Jesus—so many reasons why “the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen” (Luke 19:37).
So why is it sometimes hard for us to praise God as this crowd did, to recount all the miracles we’ve seen?
I think, in part, it’s hard for us to praise God because we are forgetful people. We wonder at the Israelites grumbling in the desert when their sandals didn’t wear out and manna kept coming. How did they forget the promises of God again and again after watching Him peel back the Red Sea?
But we do the same: We see God’s miracles, and then, even the next moment, we forget and wonder why He seemingly doesn’t see us. But God—one of my favorite phrases in the Bible—knows we are forgetful people, and He loves us still, has called us His own, and pursues us, gently reminding us of His faithfulness again and again. We are but sheep, but He is our Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
The Lord’s miracles today might be huge and visible, and there might be equally huge but unnoticed miracles. As one of my favorite Bible teachers says, “it is always a miracle if you know Jesus.”
It’s truly a miracle that the Lord chose to save us (Romans 5:6–8). It’s a miracle that He sees us and loves us still. It’s a miracle that He continues to pursue us, who continually forget His miracles. It’s a miracle that His grace to us is a well that never runs dry.
When we lose sight of the miracle of our salvation, we lose the joy of our salvation and we stop praising Him. We were made to praise our Creator, and our hearts find rest and joy in Him when we do. Even when sin and circumstances weigh us down into despair, as impossible as it feels, cry out to God and praise Him.
The Lord knew we’d need songs to drive our eyes from the trail up to Him. On this pilgrimage to heaven, He graciously gives us new songs to sing. Start with these today:
For the LORD is good, and his faithful love endures forever;
his faithfulness, through all generations.
—Psalm 100:5
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem!
Look, your King is coming to you;
he is righteous and victorious,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
—Zechariah 9:9
Praise the Savior, who knew the very people praising Him at His triumphal entry would soon shout, “Crucify him!” But He still willingly died for them, and for me, and for you. “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Written by Kimberly Girard
