What Happened on Palm Sunday?
Today begins what Christians call Holy Week. It is the week leading up to the Crucifixion of Christ and His resurrection. This gives cause for reflection of our own life, or at least it does for me. Put your mind in the mind of the owner of that donkey. Perhaps it could have been as told here.
So, What’s Your Donkey?
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday; palm branches, which symbolize triumph or victory, were strewn in Jesus’ path, as He rode into the city. He rode into town on a humble donkey, fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your kings comes to you, righteous and victorious, low and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
“You don’t know me. You’ve never heard my name. It isn’t important. But you know my donkey. I’m sure you’ve heard of him. You know, the donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem with on that day He made his triumphal entry? Yeah, that donkey. Well, I was the guy with the donkey. I’m the guy who was living in Bethphage. The guy who was walking home from the market that day, only to see two men untying my young donkey and her mother. I couldn’t believe I was getting ripped off! Bethphage had been such a quiet town. This was our first donkey-jacking! I ran and called out, “Why are you untying those donkeys? I remember it like it was yesterday: the two men called back, ‘The Lord needs them!
That answer stopped me cold………
Normally, I liked to keep my animals for myself. But for some reason, I couldn’t argue. Two guys I have never seen are taking my donkeys away. But the LORD needs them. They’re just plain old donkeys. But if the Lord needs them, well then, the Lord can have them!
So, I waved good bye! I never would’ve guessed that my generosity would be used for such a noble purpose! I never would’ve guessed that GOD was going to ride my humble donkey! But that day was a life-changing day for me.
We followed these men back to their little group. We saw them cover my donkey with their cloaks, and watched Jesus get on this young donkey that had never been ridden. We followed the crowd into Jerusalem and helped make a road for the Lord with our cloaks and branches we cut from trees. We wanted to let everyone know that someone important was coming to Jerusalem!
We hailed this man as a King! But not just a King. The Messiah! The Chosen, the Promised One who would come from the family of David! The One who was coming to save us!
We didn’t understand everything that day, but it turned out this was the man that God sent to save us! This was God’s own Son. Who loved us enough to come and ride my humble little donkey into a city where He knew He would suffer and die. Later that week, his journey into Jerusalem ended on a cross. Where He took my sins and yours, and let Himself be punished for them. Yes, He saved us alright. Sunday morning proved it! He walked out of his tomb! A conquering, victorious King! Friends, I can’t tell you how honored I am to have been given the chance to let Jesus use my donkey to take his Kingdom forward a few more steps. I’m thankful I had the chance to serve our Lord in such a little way. So what’s your donkey? What do you have to give to Him?
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