I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:21-24 ESV

In the third book of her widely popular trilogy, Divergent, Veronica Roth wrote: “Since I was young, I have known this: Life damages us, everyone. We can’t escape that damage. But now I am also learning this: We can be mended.” The truth in this quote rang true in the complicated lives of her flawed characters. I also think that it rings true in our lives today. 

Since we just finished our Fractured sermon series, I have been thinking more about our broken nature. We make mistakes, we say the wrong thing, we sometimes forget we have an incredible Savior; we’re not perfect…

…But as we go into Palm Sunday, we can push aside the overwhelming reminder of brokenness, and remember that we have hope! We are mended in the eyes of the Lord! 

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, imagine just how joyful the people were to see their King, even though he rode in on a lowly donkey and had a humble background. Similarly, we can be just as joyful and grateful for all the small blessings in life that the Lord gives to us, as most times we can find the Lord in even the smallest of things. 

Our passage this week mentions multiple times the idea of being thankful. Verse 21 says we should be thankful that He has become our salvation - and why shouldn’t we be? Especially as we draw closer to Easter, we ought to be extra grateful to have a Savior; a Savior who died on the cross for all of our sins, rose from the dead after three days in a grave, and mended us in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.

Now, we have this responsibility to be grateful to the Lord all year round, but as we head into Palm Sunday, I think we all need to take the time to slow down and be as grateful as we can possibly be. After all, Easter is the celebration and thanksgiving of Christ defeating death and rising up on the third day.

As we draw nearer to Palm Sunday, think about how you can be thankful for things the Lord has done for you. Reflect on just how much God loves us to send His one and only Son to mend us and make us whole.