37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
It is one thing to praise God and something entirely different when we praise God for something we have personally experienced. When we see His actions, His character demonstrated, and our own eyes have taken in the event, our excitement and joy get pumped. That is what is happening with this crowd of Jesus-followers. They have seen so many miraculous things as they have followed Jesus that it bubbles over. They are approaching Jerusalem and they can’t hold it in any longer. I have had a few experiences like this in my life. I have seen the Lord do some powerful things right before my eyes. And it has been hard to contain the excitement. It came gushing out in praise and thanksgiving. Little did this crowd know that in less than a week, Jesus would be killed by the religious leaders. Their overflowing joy would be replaced with unbearable sorrow. Their boldness to publically display their faith in Jesus would be pushed by fear to the point where they would be hiding in the shadows and cowering in upper rooms. Such a large change in such a short timeframe! And yet three days after that, there was another turn of the emotional and spiritual wheel. Jesus was alive again! Emotions rose and fell. And this up and down is not confined to the disciples. We have these types of rollercoaster experiences. That is why it is so important to not be driven by our emotions. We must be driven by something that doesn’t change like the shifting of a breeze. We must place our trust in the Lord, the One who never changes, never shifts, never abandons. So if your life is on a rollercoaster, check to see if you are following your emotions. If you are, get on a different train. Follow the facts rather than your emotions.
The Arnold Journey 