March 24 | The Final Stretch

They come around the final turn and now it is a sprint to the finish, but just because it is near the end of the race doesn’t mean the steps become less important – they become more important. Every stride takes the runner closer to the finish, closer to victory, but every step becomes more challenging, more difficult. The crowds may roar around the turn, but the celebration can’t fully begin yet. There is more to take in. As Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the crowds roar with praise, but the chants will turn by the end of the week. Every step, every movement, and every word of Jesus’ teaching is important in this final stretch before the cross.