Enlistment

Ps Alby Yip

Like all Singaporean parents who have sons, I get to experience on Wednesday this uniquely Singaporean experience. Sending my son, Shawn for his enlistment into National Service. Some well-meaning folks asked me, “Pastor Alby, how do you feel?” I assume they are asking if I am anxious or concerned about Shawn’s safety and well-being. My reply was, “Maybe you should ask the mother.” 

Perhaps, it is a “man’s” thing to not acknowledge fear. Perhaps, it is also because we have gone through NS ourselves and know that there is really nothing to fear. But how would Shawn feel? Most boys his age will never tell you beyond, “I’m ok!” By the way, Shawn replied, “Normal.” I believe him because he had always looked forward to enlistment and trained very hard for it.

It got me thinking. Good Friday is coming. How would God the Heavenly Father feel on that first Good Friday when He sent His Son for His enlistment for “cosmic service”? How would the Lord Jesus Himself feel knowing that He will be enlisted unto death? Perhaps we can catch a glimpse as we remember Palm Sunday today.

Just before the Lord stepped into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He told the disciples for the third time about His impending death (Matt 20:17-19). In fact, the Lord repeated again a few verses down in v.28. So, on that Palm Sunday when the Lord entered Jerusalem, He was fully aware of what will happen just five days later on Good Friday. How did He feel? 

I’m very sure, like our boys on enlistment day, the Lord would say, “It’s ok. Normal.” That was because the Lord had always looked forward to enlistment and trained very hard for it. Twice, Luke told us that He “set His face towards Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51, 53) Note that Scriptures use the phrase “His face” to refer to the entirety of a person. 

That is why each Palm Sunday is both a day of commemoration as it is a day of commitment. Each Palm Sunday we are also reminded about our own enlistment into a life of taking up our Cross to follow the Lord Jesus. How would you feel? What will your response be?