Donkeys

“If anyone says anything to you, say the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:3)

I’ve often wondered what the owner of the donkey and colt thought when two of Christ’s disciples showed up at his house while he was eating pancakes and told him they were taking his animals because “the Lord needed them.”  Did he think they were really thieves?  Did he suspect their elevators didn’t quite go to the top floor?  Was his first instinct to call the police?  Or perhaps his insurance company?

The two equines were not merely his pets, they were most likely a big part of his livelihood.  They helped him farm.  They pulled his cart when he went to get provisions.  And now, there he sat, eating the last bite of breakfast, and his animals were walking down the road with two of Christ’s disciples.  Something that was important to him, now gone!

If I had to guess, I would say we all have a donkey or two in our lives.  Something we consider very important, perhaps too important.  Something we don’t want to let go of, give up, or maybe even change.  Something the Lord has been asking us to give over to him, but our stubborn hearts just can’t seem to release it.  Something that weighs our life down, keeps us from fully serving the Lord, or little by little chokes out our spiritual growth.  Something we horde, rather than enjoy. 

But imagine the joy the owner of those two equines had when he discovered that it was his donkey the Messiah was riding through the streets of Jerusalem as people laid palm branches in praise before Him.  Image how proud he felt that his little mule was the center of attention, all because of who its’ rider was.  Imagine how humble he must have felt that he was a small part of the Savior of the World’s triumphant entry that first Palm Sunday.

Now let’s allow the Lord to speak to each of us.  What is it that God has been asking you and me to release and give up to him, perhaps recently, perhaps for several years now?  What is it that God’s voice is saying to each of us, “Let it go, the Lord needs to take it away, and you need to let it go?”  As we draw close to celebrating Palm Sunday, let’s take some time before the Lord and ask ourselves – what is MY donkey?

                                                                   Darlene