The Snow Melting Plan

By DR. DENNIS E. MOREY
The Oskaloosa Herald

OSKALOOSA Tue, May 13 2008

— Looking back over the winter, wasn’t it beautiful to experience the fresh fallen snow? But did we have to experience it so often? After a while its beauty fades into the harsh reality that somebody is going to have to scoop again, and where are we going to put it this time? Most everyone is ready for spring. I am ready to get my neighbors together with hair dryers and finish off the rest of the snow. At this point, who wants to see more snow and ice? Is there anyone who would prefer more of it?
The good news is, spring is coming. We have warmer days, those soft rains and the green grass yet to experience as the springtime wakes the earth from its winter sleep.
This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday. When the people hailed Jesus, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest,” as he was coming into Jerusalem. They knew what this meant. He was going to become King and free them from Roman domination. When that did not happen, they soon grew tired of his teachings and twisted them around to serve their own purpose of getting rid of him. The journey he described would take a life-time. The standard of behavior he taught would be impossible to attain. He did not dominate but invited each person to serve others as they were serving God.
When Jesus paused at the Mount of Olives, on his way to Jerusalem, he cried because he knew the opportunity before that City, and what their rejection meant. Their preferred blindness kept them from being aware of what God was doing. They preferred the winter.
God had a plan, and not even the icy hearts of the people of the Capital City could keep it from happening. Since they chose not to join God in the plan, God would find another way and devastation would come because they missed their opportunity. To accomplish God’s plan without their cooperation meant that Jesus would be crucified but rise again victoriously on Sunday morning. God’s plan was accomplished.
Sometimes we think we are pretty important in God’s plan. We may think we have some key roll to play, so therefore God should be in tune with what we want out of life. God’s plan will be accomplished. God’s love will be shared. If we choose to demand it comes the route we want it to come, we will miss it.
What would have happened if the people, who hailed him as King, began to organize their lives around Jesus and really listened to his teachings? What if they changed their way of life and began caring for the poor and the needy, looking for opportunities to serve and seeking God’s directions for life?
What would happen if those who claim him as King today actually began to organize our lives around him and listened to his teachings? What if we went after opportunities to read and study God’s word as if it really mattered and it had a message for us about God’s life-changing love? What if we changed our way of life and really cared for the poor and the needy and looked for opportunities to serve seeking God’s direction for our lives?
The snow and ice in our hearts that demands our own way, gets upset when someone hurts our feelings, decides not to speak to certain people because they have offended us, would all melt away. The spring-time of understanding the magnitude of the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ would begin to warm the earth and call forth new life with it. Why do we prefer snow and ice when we all know we need the springtime?
If you don’t have a church home, Palm Sunday would be a wonderful time to meet with other Christians to worship this God who loves us so. See you here next week for more on The Plan.