As he came near and
saw the city, he wept over it.
Luke 19:41
On March
3, 1836 , only 183 men remained to defend The Alamo against a huge
army led by Santa Anna. Two hours before dusk, the Mexican guns suddenly
stopped firing. The end was near.
The Commander of The Alamo, William Travis quickly assembled
his men. He told them that no reinforcements were coming. "Our doom is
certain," Travis told the tired, beaten men. Then, Travis pulled his sword
from its sheath and drew a line in the dirt. He asked every man who was committed
to remain in the Alamo , fight and die to cross
the line.
Topley Holland was the first man to cross the line. Others
quickly followed including Davy Crockett. Another man was Colonel Jim Bowie. He
was very sick and unable to cross the line on his own, so he called for help. Four
men carried him from his cot and lifted him over the line. On March 6, the Alamo fell. Every man within her walls died.
But, as their lives ended a great new beginning sprang
forth. Because of their choice to cross the line, the Republic of Texas
The moment Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He had crossed the
line. The end was near.
This should have been the happiest single day in Jesus'
life. Yet, we read that “He wept over” the city. Why? After all, huge Passover crowds
had come out to greet Him. So many people, in fact, that the Pharisees murmured,
"Look! The whole world has gone after him!" On that first Palm Sunday
began it appeared as though Jesus’ preaching ministry would be a huge success.
But Jesus knew better. He knew how disloyal the crowds would
become. He knew that when He needed His people the most, they would all forsake
Him and run away. This same welcoming crowd would escort Him to the Cross. Today,
they were shouting, "Hosanna!" By Friday, they were shouting,
"Crucify Him!" In just a few days, Jesus would be arrested, tried,
whipped, humiliated, spat upon, cursed at, betrayed, crucified, dead, and
buried.
It took less than a week for this Man to be destroyed by
betrayal.
He had crossed the line. But, as His life ended a great new
beginning sprang forth.
He shed His blood for us. And now He draws a line in the
sand and asks you to cross over to His side. Make no mistake, if you choose
Jesus, you will need to make a very special kind of commitment. Now is the
time.
As we approach Easter, will you cross the line to the Cross
of Christ?
This week’s prayer
Dear Lord, I offer my eternal thanks for your Son Jesus
Christ. He died for me so that I may spend eternity in your glorious presence.
Please guide me so that I will not take lightly my commitment to Jesus. Help me
to live a Jesus kind of sacrifice. Amen.
