Happy Palm Sunday! This is indeed one of the most unique days in the church calendar. For those who don’t know, Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem at the peak of His ministry. It’s an undeniably great moment, but as an artist, I naturally look at “great’” and wonder about the “greater” which often leads to more critical thinking. 

Through this lens, I can’t help but see a celebration AND a group of believers who may have missed the value of this moment in the presence of God. On this day two thousand years ago, people celebrated because they thought Jesus was coming to do exciting miracles and overthrow a corrupt government. Instead, they watched Him give Himself up to be executed. Those same palm-waving believers found themselves feeling lost and disappointed. 

Knowing the outcome today, we can see that they were only disappointed because they had missed the real point of Jesus’ presence. If only they knew what was coming, they might have felt differently. Again, we know the whole story, so we can carry this Palm Sunday energy right into Resurrection Sunday. Putting ourselves in their shoes though, what about the periods in our lives when it looks like God’s best work is behind us, and we can’t see that resurrection is ahead? When things haven’t gone as we’d hoped and our surroundings don’t look like victory, do we still know that God is with us?

For the answer, let’s look at another moment when a group of believers almost missed God’s presence. Matthew 14:25-32 is a popular story about Jesus walking on water to join His disciples on their boat and help them through a windstorm. As anyone would expect, they felt fear and other negative emotions while stuck out on the ocean. What’s strange is when Jesus came to help them, His own disciples didn’t recognize him. One translation says they thought they saw a ghost (v.26). How did these guys who had been walking with Jesus all this time not realize He was there? My theory? It was the mist. 

Between the three gospels that mention this story, we know that there were heavy winds and that it was just before dawn. Add a light recall of 10th-grade science class, and we can deduce that there was likely a heavy mist in the air, and maybe, just maybe, that’s why they couldn’t see Jesus. Mist happens when moisture in the air is exceptionally cool or radiated. It also requires the air to be exceptionally still or stirred up. Either way, this means mist happens in drastic environmental circumstances. It’s a byproduct of severe conditions, and most significantly, it hinders vision. Sounds a lot like hopelessness. 

Have you ever been in a space where your environment clouds your view? Ever look around and can’t see God where you are even when you do believe? You’re not alone. The believers in Jerusalem thought God had let them down. The disciples’ vision was blurred by a storm, and they thought that Jesus, who was with them earlier that day and due to see them later, was nowhere to be found in their present situation. Fortunately, a more encouraging perspective is just one letter away. 

The people couldn’t make the storm go away, but they could have experienced the peace of God’s presence before the storm was over – if only they had spelled midst correctly.  Yup, read that again out loud. 

Jesus was in their MIDST the whole time. 

Whether stuck in a windstorm or discouraged in the space between triumphant expectation and miraculous deliverance, JESUS IS THERE. We often get worn down waiting for God to “show up,” but really, He’s always been there – right in the middle of it. That’s literally what midst means, “in the middle of.”

Naturally, we all look forward to resurrection-level miracles, but some of our difficult times have a purpose that makes them last longer than we’d like. We believe in what God CAN do but feel stuck in what He’s doing. If that’s not you, save this for later and say Hallelujah. If it is you, or somebody you know, please accept this encouragement to clear up your perspective. The mist you see isn’t nearly as great as Who is in it with you.

Practical Application: 

How do I clear up a misty perspective?

  • Intentionally acknowledge God in your real, regular life. – Romans 12: 1-2 MSG
  • Whatever you believe would help you, do that for others. – 1 Timothy 6: 18-19 NIV

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