Lessons from Children: What is Laud Anyway?

Yesterday was Palm Sunday.
You know, the day when the kids of the church parade up to the front waving the Palm Branch in hand, whipping and tickling each other the whole way.

As the children of First PCA in Hospers marched around the church yesterday morning, two little boys--obviously brothers--were hitting each other with the branches and laughing and jumping around.  A little girl was left behind up front, but managed to caboose the parade on the second go-round.  The kids were having a blast just being kids while all of the adults were singing "All Glory, Laud, and Honor," half of us frowning at the disrespectful rowdy squirts.

 Luke 19 explains the story of Jesus' triumphal entry:  Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a borrowed colt (so triumphal) while the crowd waved their patriotic banners (palm branches) and laid their cloaks in the road in front of Jesus.  "Blessed is is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest" shouted the crowd.  This sounds great to us, having heard the crucifixion story already.  However they shouted very political praises; they wanted Jesus to come, but only on their own terms.  They were looking for a political leader that would over throw the Romans occupying their Promised Land.  But, why were the Romans there in the first place?  Because, the Israelites had sinned.  On Mount Sinai God laid out the ground rules (in Deut. 28) saying there would be blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.  The Roman occupation was only a symptom of their real problem--sin.

If Jesus was only overthrowing the Romans as the roaring crowd wanted, they were discounting him to a cheap Band-aid.  Jesus is the cure.  At the sound of the praise, "as he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, Jesus wept over it."

Someone in the choir was smiling the whole time they sang while the children played in the aisles; and, it made me think.  In the midst of the misunderstanding that characterizes the first "Palm Sunday," Jesus must have still cracked a smile at the innocent children running around whipping and tickling each other with the palm branches.  They had faith that their parents knew what they were doing bringing them there; so, they don't worry.  They just do what they are called to do as image-bearers of their soon-to-be-risen Christ:  play and be children.

מִנְחָה֙