Palm Sunday is behind us and we move forward through what is known as Holy Week. We read devotionals, listen to sermons, hear songs, and remember familiar passages of Scripture which chronicle Jesus’ last week before going to the Cross.
It is all familiar to us and if we are not careful, we can gloss over these days. We can coast through, getting caught up in Easter egg hunts and pretty outfits.
We need to slow down, quiet ourselves and push aside the outside voices to see what God has for us in this moment.
I share that because it is what happened the other day as I began my Holy Week readings. One verse was all it took to prick my heart.
Jesus had entered Jerusalem. The people had lined the streets and “praised God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen” (Luke 19:37, NASB). They shouted their praises.
We are told Jesus could be found teaching daily in the temple. Try as they may, the chief priests and scribes could not quite find anything by which they could destroy Him.
But there was one thing they could find, one small detail Luke shares:
” … for all the people were hanging on to every word He said.” (Luke 19:48, NASB)
No matter which Bible version I looked at, they all said the same thing – the people hung on to every word He said.
They were listening intently. It implies a level of admiration and respect, knowing what is spoken is truth and needed.
Moses, in calling the people to a wholehearted commitment to God said:
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!“Â (Deuteronomy 6:4, NASB)
To listen to His Word without putting it into effect in our lives, is not to listen at all. Listening incorporates obedience.
Moses continues …
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (verse 5, NASB)
Love will take all of our being. It will be no easy task, some days requiring more effort and expression of praise than other days. But God wants every part of us to love Him.
And Moses goes on …
“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.” (verse 6, NASB)
Moses was instructing the people to give wholehearted commitment to the commands of God.
These words are so important Jesus repeated them and they have been recorded for us in three of the Gospels. God is quite serious in requiring us to listen to Him, to obey Him, to love Him, and to commit our lives to Him.
One God.
Who has one purpose ”“ salvation,
and desires His people to become one.
May we be like the people that day and hang on His every word.
Are you a picky eater? My hand is waving high here as I am. In her post “Provision and Picky Eaters” HERE, Nylse Esahc shares from the story of Elijah. “God’s provision is not always what we’re familiar with or what we think it should be, but it is what we need.” Despite our pickiness, He doesn’t leave us wanting. Be sure to read her encouraging post.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
Photo by Icons8 Team on Unsplash
Today I may be joining …
I think I have overlooked that phrase before, too. What a vivid picture of how we should be listening to Him.
Thanks, Joanne. This is a great reminder of how focused and intentional we should be about listening to God and reading his Word.
Joanne, Holy Week is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the verse you highlighted here today, what a stark reminder of how we treat Jesus’ words not only during Holy Week, but every day. I wonder how our lives would change if we “hung” on every word He said rather than allowing our hearts to be influenced by others or grow cold through indifference!
The account of the people’s praise at the beginning of the week and their turning against Him at the end always unsettles me. I pray I’ll be steadfast even when He doesn’t act how I think He should. 🙂
Joanne, I love your attention to detail here! This is a good reminder to pay closer attention to God’s words and pray that they will transform my thoughts and actions.
Thank you for your inspiring and encouraging post reminding us that Jesus hung on the cross for us, and He deserves us to “hang on to every word”. Wishing you a joyous Easter Season!
It’s a holy week worthy of our contemplation and attention. xo
Thank you for this encouragement to examine our hearts and lives, Joanne, to see if we “hang on His every word”.
Joanne, this is a beautiful message. Quieting myself to pause and reflect, pray and praise this week.
Visiting today from #15
Thank you for this reminder to hang on to the words of Jesus.
Love this, Joanne! It points us to a reminder that is vital for so many reasons. I am currently finishing Deuteronomy where these things echo as well. He wants us to listen for our good and his delight in a relationship with us versus only a list of requests.
We read of the people’s praise at the beginning of the week & their turn against Him at the end… This is so disheartening…
I pray that I’ll be steadfast & faithful even when He doesn’t answer prayer as I think He should. But His will be done in each & every situation!
Blessings to you sweet friend, Jennifer â¤ï¸
I don’t know who first began putting Jesus’s words in red letters in many Bibles, but that’s always been a plus to me, to be able to hang on to his words at a glance. Hope you have a blessed Easter, Joanne!
Joanne, as many times as I have read that passage, I had never noticed Luke’s comment before. It convicts me because I realize how often I’m doing my daily reading and catch my mind wandering off somewhere and have to come back and read it again. But I wonder how many times do I not even catch myself? Very convicting.
I hadn’t paid attention to “hang on to every word” in prior readings. Thank you for highlighting Luke’s comments. Truly, the bible is written to be read, and read, and read again. I can live halfheartedly, yet, as you mention, God calls us to be in with our whole hearts!
More than words Ms. Joanne, God’s Word is a lifeline that we can grab onto with our hearts and hold on tightly as we are being tossed about in this turbulent world. Such an encouraging post ma’am. It had to have come from the outpouring of your heart. Happy Easter ma’am, and God’s blessings.
Joanne, this is such a wonderful word of exhortation. Too many of us push aside some of His uncomfortable words in favor of those that help us blend in with our culture. But, as you’ve said, love for Him requires “all of our being”.