Have you ever met anyone famous?  Do you have a family member who holds a position of power?  Do you have a moment of fame in your memory bank?

Living in the Chicago area, many politicians or “want-a-be’s”  have been clamoring for headlines since a Chicago son, Barack Obama, took his presidential seat.  I’m sure the White House receives dozens of phone calls from people claiming to be friends with the chief, or to have played ball with him in years past.  Michelle, the First Lady, has quite a following as well.  In fact, the latest poll places her ahead of her husband in the popularity standings.

Our country puts a lot of weight behind people in power.  As demonstrated in the last campaign, many Americans (regardless of political affiliation) cried out for new leadership, new direction, new devotion.

Is today’s world any different from the Old Testament Israelites during Samuel’s day?

Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah. They presented their case: “Look, you’re an old man, and your sons aren’t following in your footsteps. Here’s what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else.”

When Samuel heard their demand—”Give us a king to rule us!”—he was crushed. How awful!

Samuel prayed to God. God answered Samuel, “Go ahead and do what they’re asking. They are not rejecting you. They’ve rejected me as their King. From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they’ve been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they’re doing it to you. So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they’re in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they’re likely to get from a king.” The Message, 1 Samuel 8:4-9

And how much different are we from the days of Jesus?

The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in God’s name! Yes! The King of Israel!”

Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it: “No fear, Daughter Zion: See how your king comes, riding a donkey’s colt.”

…The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, was there giving eyewitness accounts. It was because they had spread the word of this latest God-sign that the crowd swelled to a welcoming parade. The Pharisees took one look and threw up their hands: “It’s out of control. The world’s in a stampede after him.” John 12:12-19, The Message

On numerous occasions the gospel writers indicate that crowds followed Jesus due to the miraculous signs that He performed.  It seems like this first Palm Sunday was no different.  People were intrigued by His power.  They wanted to get close to the man who could make blind men see, lame men walk and raise the dead.

Today, what kind of power do you seek from Christ?  Do you call upon His name only for certain prayers to be answered, for petitions to be fulfilled or temporal power to be granted?

Instead of seeking power, can we seek truth? Read Zechariah 9:9 (NIV) below and learn just what kind of King we have.

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Our Jesus is gentle, humble, righteous.  Savor those truths today as you cling to Him.

Head on over to Becoming Me to link up with your own Easter post all this week!

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