“So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’” John 12:13 (ESV)
Editor’s Note: Today’s devotion is part of our Holy Week series! Journey with us as we experience the power of Jesus’ love, remember His sacrifice, and walk in the victory of His resurrection. We pray this series prepares your heart for the joy of Easter. Subscribe now.
When my husband was diagnosed with cancer, we prayed for his healing. Our friends and family around the globe joined us in fervent prayer and worship. I believed with all of my heart that God could heal my husband. I dreamed about his cancer somehow evaporating and his body being fully restored.
On my knees, I promised God that if healing came, we would give Him all the glory. I imagined many people coming to know Jesus because of a miracle like this.
When my husband graduated to heaven just three short months after his diagnosis, I had to face gut-wrenching disappointment. God challenged me to lay down my misplaced expectations and believe this could still be for His glory.
On the first day of Holy Week, as Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, the people assumed a posture of humility to glorify Him as the Messiah King. According to John, one of the disciples closest to Jesus, “They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’” (John 12:13). They also spread their coats in the street and sang words from the biblical psalms as a public proclamation.
But many worshippers were guided by misplaced expectations. They hoped for a king who would save them by military strength and victory over the oppression of the Romans.
Jesus chose to operate outside of human expectations and focus on His Father’s glory. To fulfill the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, He rode in not on a regal horse or a chariot ready for battle but on a borrowed donkey. The donkey was a symbol of peace and humility. Jesus did not posture Himself as a warrior but as a suffering Servant and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
Just like the people who worshipped Jesus during His triumphal entry, we, too, often harbor unmet expectations. Whether we realize it or not, we often expect our marriages, our children, our jobs, or even our service to the Church to bring us complete and lasting fulfillment and purpose. We pray for specific outcomes, and when those areas of our lives turn out differently, we get trapped in disappointment.
But Jesus comes to set us free from our expectations and efforts to control. He wants more for us. He offers true, genuine fulfillment that can only come through Him.
Probably none of those who waved palm branches at Jesus’ triumphal entry expected His crucifixion five days later. But His decision to assume the ultimate posture of humility, hanging on a tree as a sacrifice for our sins, made all the difference for our eternity.
Today our prayers might not be answered the way we expect, but that doesn’t mean we should abandon our trust and hope. I have indeed seen God's glory magnified through the loss of my husband and the redemption God has brought for my daughters and me in this next chapter of life.
Friend, be encouraged that Jesus always extends compassion and acts with God’s glory in mind. This is the gift of salvation, the hope of glory, the power of His resurrection.
Jesus, help us to turn away from misplaced expectations and to trust and worship You as the one true King of heaven. Show us glimpses of Your glory along life’s path. We put our hope in You, knowing we will not be put to shame (Romans 5:5). In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
On Palm Sunday, crowds lined the streets and waved palm branches, shouting “Hosanna!” They believed they were welcoming a king — but many didn’t yet understand the kind of Savior Jesus came to be. And the question still matters today: Do you know Him? Not just the story. Not just the tradition. Not just the celebration of Easter. But Jesus personally — the Savior who came close, carried the weight of sin to the cross, and rose again so you could have new life. Holy Week isn’t only a remembrance; it’s an invitation to respond. If you’ve ever wondered what it truly means to know Jesus — or if you’d like to better understand the hope we’re celebrating this week — we invite you to click to discover how you can begin a personal relationship with Him today. Because Easter isn’t just about what happened then. It’s about what’s possible now.
Today’s devotion writer, Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, invites you to feast on the glory of God with her through her weekly Glorygram. Follow her on Instagram @DorinaGilmore for daily glimpses of His glory, and find out more about Dorina and her books here!
Zechariah 9:9c, “Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (ESV).
John 11:40, “Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’” (NIV).
John 11:40 records the poignant question Jesus asked Martha before He raised her brother Lazarus from the dead. Is there something in your life that Jesus is asking you to believe will be for His glory? What misplaced expectations or hopes do you need to lay down this week?
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2026 by Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young. All rights reserved.
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