As Jesus entered Jerusalem — on what is now called Palm Sunday — everyone was celebrating, waving palm branches, and rejoicing in Jesus' triumphal entry. But as He drew near to the city, the Bible tells us that Jesus wept. His tears were shed over the people of God who lacked the discernment to recognize the times in which they lived. He wept because they failed to comprehend the warnings God gave to them.

The cry of Jesus' heart was for the people of Jerusalem to comprehend the plan of God that had been revealed to them in the Old Testament. That is why He was weeping on His coronation day — a day of celebration that was turned into a day of tears.

These were not tears of joy. This was lamenting over the shortsightedness of God's people — lamenting over their desire to live in the present with no thought for the future. Their failure to recognize their Messiah and to perceive the times in which they were living, would later bring them God's judgment.

No wonder Jesus wept. Remember that Jesus was speaking to the people of Jerusalem — God's beloved city. Because of their hardness of heart toward Him he said that Jerusalem would be destroyed. This prophecy from Jesus was fulfilled with dizzying accuracy in the year 70 A.D., so with His knowledge of these future events you can understand why Jesus was weeping over the hardness of His people's hearts.

Just as the people of Jerusalem needed to discern what God had been saying to them, so each of us needs to comprehend what God is communicating about the times in which we live. The challenge for us is to stop the perpetual cycle of activity that we are caught in and say to the Lord, "What do you want to teach me in this season of life? What do you want me to learn from You and from Your Word?"

When I read the account of the triumphal entry, I hear God saying to us: Discern the times in which you live right now. Realize that you have a short window of opportunity to witness for Christ and to proclaim the Gospel freely. There is just a short window of time to stand firm for the truth, to refuse to compromise, and to make your life count for Jesus Christ.

There is a time that is coming when we will face fierce opposition to the Christian faith — when intolerance to the true faith will heat up in such a way that we had better heed God's warning and be prepared.