Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Morning Moments with God: Day 88 (Matthew 21)

                          Image result for Book of Matthew

Day 88: He Rode in Humility

Please read the Bible verses for today:
Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

21 "As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
    ‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
(Matthew 21:1-5)
Whenever I read the Scriptures, I try and put myself into the story that I am reading. In this story, I imagined being one of the ones that Jesus told to find the colt. As I am understanding it, they are still a town away from Jerusalem. Jesus wanted two disciples to run ahead of Him, find a colt and bring it back to Him so He can enter Jerusalem on the donkey. If I was the one receiving this order, I certainly would have been scratching my head and wondering how Jesus knows that there is a guy with a donkey and a colt AND that he would be willing to just let the two disciples walk off with his animals with no payment required. There were no phones, no Internet, for Jesus to have arranged all this with the owner of the donkey and colt in advance. This is Jesus being God! If they weren't sure Jesus was God at this point, after witnessing every disease being healed, they get to witness it again. Jesus can see the future. Jesus knows all who He has created. He knows where they are and what they do for a living, (raising donkeys). He even knows which one of His people will be willing to give up their donkey for Him. Jesus is God. Jesus knows all of us! 

6 "The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c]
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”(Matthew 21:6-11) 

Everything happened just as Jesus said it would. The two disciples found the donkey and the colt, the owner allowed them to simply have them, and brought them back to Jesus. Jesus prophesied other things too. Four times Jesus prophesied the way He would die. I wonder if the disciples were thinking about that. I wonder if they were at all prepared for what was coming. 

Jesus rode on the colt. The commentary in my Bible says two things: 1) The colt is the colt of a donkey and it had never been ridden. 2) "A donkey is an animal symbolic of humility, peace, and Davidic royalty. When I read the word, 'humility,' I immediately envisioned Mary, pregnant, riding on a donkey to Bethlehem. Jesus entered this world, the town of Bethlehem, riding on a donkey and He left this world, entering into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. He came into this world as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords in humility and left in humility. What does that say to me? In wanting and desiring to be like Jesus, I must be humble. I must turn from pride and arrogance. To be like Jesus...

As Jesus enters the town people are shouting and cheering, 'Hosanna!' Coats are being laid on the road before Him, and palm branches are swayed above Him. The streets are lined with people as Jesus rides through the crowd. It's loud. It's a huge scene. It's a parade! The people within Jerusalem are turning their heads wondering what is happening. They ask, " When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”(Matthew 21:10-11) The crowds were the 'large crowds' following Jesus from place to place and they followed Him right into Jerusalem. They declared Him as a prophet from Nazareth. Yes, Jesus is a prophet, but wasn't/isn't He soooo much more! If I had been in that crowd I would have answered, 'This is Jesus- the prophet, the teacher, the healer of all diseases! If I knew Him as I know Him today I would have said, the one who has been kind and has looked on me with compassion. The one who saved me from death. The one who never leaves me. The one who saved my soul. My rescuer. My God.

Pray with me:
Jesus, thank you for revealing yourself to me. Thank you that I know you as the One True God who loves His people, who loves me. Thank you for your humility. I am in awe of you. Lord, I want to be humble and love others as you love them. Teach me your ways. In Jesus' Name, Amen. 

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