Fond Memory 1

As I was reading through Mark 11 today, the passage reminded me of a time (~13 years ago) when my dad, little sister, and I were playing outside in the backyard. We have quite a few palm trees in our backyard, and a couple of their leafy branches fell on the ground. My dad told my little sister and I to each pick one up. He explained Jesus' triumphal entry where Jesus was riding on a horse, and those around him had leafy branches and were shouting, "Hosanna in the highest!" as Jesus walked by.

I think Aileen and I really enjoyed the story. I remember us lifting up those branches up and down, repeatedly singing, "Hosanna! Hosanna!"

⁶ And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. ⁷ And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. ⁸ And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. ⁹ And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
Mark 11:6-10

Though I didn't really know what it meant at the time, I'm so blessed that my dad would talk to my siblings and me often about Scripture. Now having a relationship with Christ, I am thankful to personally and joyfully say, "Hosanna in the Highest!" Piper couldn't have said it better:

So when we sing "Hosanna" now, let's make it very personal. Let's make it our praise and our confidence. The Son of David has come. He has saved us from guilt and fear and hopelessness. Salvation! Salvation belongs to our God and to the Son! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!