Singing, and Praying, and Crying out, "Hosanna!"

Although Palm Sunday is behind us and most people's eyes are turned to Easter (or at least Good Friday), my heart and mind are still full of Hosannas.  My house is too.  Hosanna drapes across our kitchen window.

Hosanna is quietly proclaimed in our living room - adjacent to where I sit to do my quiet time.

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,  "Hosanna!" 

 ~John 12:13

The people welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with Hosannas.  Do you know what Hosanna means?  I always associated the word with Palm Sunday but I only learned what the people were saying a few years ago.  John Piper explains it like this on his blog:

"Our English word "hosanna" comes from a Greek word "hosanna" which comes from a Hebrew phrase hoshiya na.  

And that Hebrew phrase is found one solitary place in the whole Old Testament,Psalm 118:25, where it means, "Save, please!" It is a cry to God for help. Like when somebody pushes you off the diving board before you can swim and you come up hollering: "Help, save me . . . Hoshiya na!"

Isn't that incredible?  Save, please.  I have also read it to mean "Save, now" with an understanding of urgency.  Please Lord Jesus save us now.  

So as we travel into Holy Week my heart and mind continue to sing, and pray and cry out, "Hosanna!" Save me Lord.  While the work of the cross is finished and through it, I know I am saved for eternity, my heart cries out for the Lord to save me now, in this life - from myself, from my sin, from my self-centered way, from my lack of patience, from my lack of forgiveness, from my 1st world mindset, from it all - Please Lord Jesus save me.  

Hosanna,
                Hosanna,
                               Hosanna!

And praise God we know He has the power to do so.