[Pearls Ep 165: Preparing for Sunday.]
Jesus is marching into enemy territory.
The Gospel would have us picturing Him entering “on an ass, the foal of a beast of burden.”
In our minds eye we would better picture Him riding atop an M1/A1 Abrams tank.
In one sense the donkey shows Him to be truly humble of heart. In another, it harkens back to ancient when kings road donkeys (because horses and chariots had not yet arrived on the scene).
But spiritually, he’s riding an Abrams.
The point is that He is inexorable. Unstoppable. He has set his sights on Jerusalem. He knows His enemies plan to kill Him. But He will not stop until the job is finished, evil is vanquished, and captives are set free.
That’s what lent is for us. There is some aspect of our life that Christ wants to break into and He won’t stop until that is accomplished.
He’s been coming to us, in different ways, throughout Lent.
He offers “living water” to us (along with the woman at the well, John 4:5-42). As if He’s asking, where are we stagnant? Where do we need something fresh?
He offers new sight to us (along with the man born blind, John 9:1-41). As if He’s asking, where are we unable to see a way forward? Where is our vision blocked by the “mountain” of a particular trial or attachment? Where do we need Him to show us a new way forward?
He offers to bring us back to life (along with Lazarus, John 11:1-45) As if he’s asking, where are we dead inside? Life for humans is movement, growth, progress. In what parts of life, or in our interior, are we feeling trapped or hopeless?
It’s always the same message of liberation, but coming at it from different angles – because different people need to hear the message differently.
We have to sit with God, meditating with these scriptures, to let Him reveal what He desires for us. And make no mistake – this is enemy territory. Wherever we feel trapped, dead, hopeless, or even too comfortable, we can rest-assured the enemy is coiled up and working to keep us ensnared.
What Palm Sunday shows us is Jesus will not relent. He is going to keep coming to us; to the parts of our life that need Him most, and that we may not even be aware of. But someday, perhaps soon, we’ll recognize what He was doing and say, “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest.”
Lenten blessings –
Steve and Karen Smith
Postscript: Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem Mt 21:1-11
When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.’ Then he will send them at once.”
This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
Say to daughter Zion, “Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.”
And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.”