Cool Story ::
So, i was walking through Savannah and saw these 3 homeless men sitting on a bench talking. One of them had a cute little puppy sitting on his shoulders. I passed by them, but then a lady came up to them and started talking and petting the dog so I came back to do the same !! Once I turned around, the man on the bench was so kind and energetic, we got to talking, past and present, his and mine, high schools and hometowns.
Long story short we had a lot in common. now back to the man with the doggo on his shoulder. so, while I was talking to guy on bench, his name was Billy, the other guy made me a rose out of some palm tree leaves he had!!! I asked about how he learned to make them. He was not much of a talker, but Billy sure was haha. Billy explained all about how their friend had taught all of them to make them. He also gave me some history on how they used to make them in Egypt. He said that archaeologists had actually found some of these palm woven roses still. in. tact. in Egyptian pyramids, 50,000 years old and He said "YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?!" I was like "no, haha." His response was: "IT MEANS IT'S EVERLASTING" (I guess if something stays alive and in tact for 50,000 years it is considered everlasting haha). You should have seen the look in his eyes, they were glowing. you know that look a friend gets when they are so excited to tell you about their latest update on their crush?? it was that kinda excitement haha.
Then billy goes on to explain further why it's so significant that these palms are everlasting. He said, you know palm Sunday? like in the Catholic Church? & i said ya for sure! then he blurted out "that's why they call it that!! Cause it is everlasting!" still with that expectant look on his face, watching and waiting to see my response.
How cool is that?! The Sunday before the cross and then easter literally means Everlasting Sunday. What Jesus was about to do on the cross is everlasting. When Jesus came into Jerusalem on that "palm" sunday. as people laid down their palm leaves for Him to tread on as He rode into the city they were shouting "Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!" Our english word "Hosanna" comes from a Greek word "Hosanna" that comes from a Hebrew phrase hoshiya na. Hang in there I know this sounds like a lot of different languages and confusing stuff, but THIS IS SO COOL. >>> That Hebrew phrase hoshiya na is found once in the whole old testament (psalm 118:25) & it means "save, please." a cry of desperation. like when someone is trying to hurt you & you're yelling for help. like when someone is drowning and you finally come up for air and use all the oxygen you have left to yell "SAVE, PLEASE." a cry for help, a plea for someone to care, for someone to act.
I don't know about you, but I had no idea Hosanna had this double meaning. Isn't it ironic that this is the phrase they would be saying as Jesus entered Jerusalem on the "everlasting" palm sunday? We will never not need Jesus' help. we will always be yelling "save me" at something, at anything until Christ comes to abide in our hearts.
However, there is a shift in meaning for Hosanna. Matthew 21:9 "Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed is he (or she haha;) who comes in the name of The LORD!" Over time in the Hebrew language this "save please" // Hosanna became a form of praise instead of a plea. A confidence instead of a cry. When we cry out to God, when we ask Him to "save please," He answers, with the second half of verse 9, "blessed" is she who comes in my name. He takes care of His children. Y'all, this is the everlasting part, the Transformation from "save please" to "Salvation has come" will go on forever because The one who does the saving is everlasting and His death and RESURRECTION are everlasting! forever, cannot be erased. all my days I will be shouting "Hosanna, Hosanna IN THE HIGHEST!" Abundance of praises because He answered every plea, He turned the nights of crying myself to sleep into Confident Rest in Him. Amen & Amen.
love,
xoxo,
kat <3
