“Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” John 12:15 NIV
Six days until His reunion with His Father. It’s time to enter Jerusalem, a place where Jesus is a marked man. Religious rulers didn’t like how this man riled the people and called the religious leaders out of their spiritual boxes.
Jesus was unlike any religious authority they would have expected. He made them uncomfortable. He made them flustered. He made them angry.
They planned with a vengeance how they might rid themselves of Him.
Six days until the old covenant is washed away and then new covenant goes into effect; It’s time for Jesus’ identity to be revealed.
Although He had every right to proclaim His authority, He didn’t proclaim it from the mountain tops. He discreetly showed it instead.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, His actions communicated three truths:
- He truly was a King.
- He truly was the Messiah.
- He came in peaceful humility.
God gave Him a great amount of self-control, courage and love. Self-control for Jesus to show not tell who He was. Courage for walking directly into the spotlight, as far as the religious leaders were concerned, and drawing their attention to the point they would plot His death.
Yet Jesus knew.
He knew He could rightfully call down legions of angels from heaven who would defend Him. He knew He could refuse His role in reuniting us to God.
But, love won out.
His love won out.
So God granted Him the self-control, the courage, and the love Jesus would need to complete His assignment on what we now call Palm Sunday.
And, God rewarded Jesus’ obedience.
God supplied every need. He supplied the donkey, which carried the symbolism of it’s rider being a King, quite possibly the Messiah, and that the rider came humbly, in peace.
God also supplied confirmation to Jesus of who He was. Jesus was a King. In this moment, when the people praised Him and His Father, when they spread their cloaks down before Him, He received honor fit for a King.
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38, NIV)
Jesus received the confirmation His humanity needed to continue with His assignment. He received the courage, self-control, and great love He needed in order to do His Father’s will. Yes, God gave Him a most difficult calling, yet God supplied every need.
Reflections:
When’s the last time I asked God for self-control to not proclaim who I am and how I should be treated?
Have I ever asked for courage to complete an impossible-looking assignment, knowing God alone is in charge of the outcome?
Do I need to ask God to give me love for someone whose actions don’t merit love from me?
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your great love. You supplied Your son with all He needed to show who He was without His hurling words of any sort. You supplied Him both courage and the greatest of love. Please remind me that I too am an heir with Christ, (Romans 8:17) and that You will supply all my needs, if only I would ask. Thank You for Your great love, Amen.
Thank you for reading! Please return by Monday, February 22, for the next post.