Jesus was in the center of the processional, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Matthew 21:9
Notes for Contemplation as You Use this Devotional:
- In this passage usually titled “The Triumphal Entry,” Jesus travels to Jerusalem, the heart of faith, to celebrate Passover and to preach at the temple.
- The people with Jesus recognize his personal power and authority because they have seen his healings and heard his teachings. They want to follow his example because they believe in what he can do. He inspires them to embrace their divinity and live from this essence.
- Jesus is a master teacher and wayshower for so many people because he lived most fully from his divine, God essence. He was one with God, and everything he did was God-guided. He repeatedly taught others to know this same essence within themselves, not to behold it only in him. So, rather than worshipping Jesus as a great exception—the only chosen one—let him be a role model for how you can know and affirm your personal power.
- Personal (positive) power is a mindset (consciousness) that includes healthy self-esteem, inner strength, wisdom, and contentment. It’s distinguished from social (negative) power which usually asserts itself in authoritarian actions and judgmental behavior.
- Your personal power is God-given and refined through experience. It’s your ability to know and apply your divine qualities in your life and in the world. Many others can have these qualities, but yours, like your fingerprints, are unique. No one can take your power from you, though they might challenge it, like the scribes and priests challenged Jesus.
- Numerous mental health professionals explain that you demonstrate a healthy sense of personal power when you:
- encourage others and share power with them rather than diminish them and hold power over them.
- accept failure and own your mistakes rather than blaming others for your shortcomings.
- trust your intuition instead of continually second-guessing yourself.
- rejoice in others’ good fortune rather than being envious.
- know your limits and boundaries and honor those of others.
- maintain your integrity by being honest in your speech and actions.
- let others make their own choices, even when you despise or disagree with them.
- acknowledge what you can and can’t control, rather than force and push for impossible or dangerous outcomes.
- stay open to learning and listening, rather than being a know-it-all and talking only about yourself.
- Demonstration is your evidence of how well you live. You demonstrate your personal, breakthrough power by knowing your worth as a divine child of God, just as Jesus did, and entering the heart of faith fully grounded as a spiritual being. This give you confidence in your mission and in your ability to fulfill it.
Contemplation Questions:
As you reflect on your life and circumstances, ask yourself:
- What is (are) my current mission(s)?
- List, word map, or illustrate the mission(s).
- In what ways is my personal power challenged?
- List, word map, or illustrate the ways.
- In what ways am I grounded in my personal power?
- List, word map, or illustrate the ways.
- What are at least three (3) ways I can be faithful and assured in my own divine personal power?
- List, word map, or illustrate all you imagine.
As you use this devotional, remember: Jesus wasn’t entering Jerusalem to overthrow the emperor, although the emperor certainly feared Jesus’s personal authority. Jesus was entering to declare the power of faith over fear and God’s authority as supreme being, not the supreme power of any one person. So, breakthrough any preconceived barriers, embrace your personal power, and be the essence of God you are.
© 2024 – Rev. Jennifer L. Sacks – All rights reserved.
Photo from Shutterstock by kryzhov.
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