"Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ' Go into the village in front of you, and immediate you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once.
Of all the things to ask for - a donkey - a donkey is practical for transport in the 1st century - but it seems a strange request when the Son of God, Jesus is preparing to make His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The saying 'God works in mysterious ways,' God does and his mysteries are holy and just. Jesus or His Father could have made a donkey appear out of thin air at a word's breath of command - but Jesus reminds us that HIS will and OUR Father's will in salvation is to save us from sin - yes, but also to engage us in a relationship with God. God has needs for us in HIS Kingdom on earth - as simple as going to find 'a donkey' to carry Christ into Jerusalem. God is calling us on Palm Sunday through HIS son Jesus - are we willing to hear the call. I find in the thickest times of chaos and fear, God calls us to do the impossible - often through what seem to be unimportant tasks.
Untying the donkey and bringing it to Jesus fulfulls a prophecy in Zechariah "Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'
In the Old Testament there is a interesting vignette about a donkey and a prophet who is sent to curse the Israelites as they journey to the Promise Land. The donkey perceives the will of God before the foreign prophet - the donkey speaks and listens to God's angelic messenger - I think about this parallel - reminding us that God often turns tables on our perception - sometimes the things that seem too common place or so out of the world - are where we find God working his plans. You can read the Balaam story here.
"The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting. '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 stirred up saying, "Who is this?' And the crowds said 'This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.'" Matthew 21
The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday is the start of Passion Week. The Passion of Christ is a crossroads of faith and doubt, hope and betrayal, celebration and death. In a span of a week, Jesus is glorified by the masses, hailed as the Messiah, before the darkest depths of time overshadow the light. Jesus is lauded, persecuted, betrayed, condemned, crucified and seemingly forsaken. The week of Passion reminds us of the fickleness of the world against the current of greed, selfishness and anger - contrasted with the infinite love, compassion, gentle and loving Christ. While we know that Jesus came for this task, to face death, condemned as an innocent man so God's law could offer salvation to all sinners - it is important to meditate on the act of self-sacrifice, trust, resilience of faith against evil - LOVE & Active GRACE Jesus provides us in the passion. It is so hard to fathom the suffering he endured on the cross - we don't like being in the thick of the shadows that crowd the sun, it is easier to focus on the end message: Christ has risen - Alleuia. While we should always sing praises to the LORD and not lose hope, part of the Lenten journey and our walk in the passion this week is the realization of the suffering Christ took on out of Love and how hate and sin were absolved out of selfless love - Jesus, though divine - fully God, was also human, he knows the pain of the flesh - Jesus's heart shattered when he was betrayed, he longed for his disciples to stand by his side in the face of trial. Only John was there when he died, with Mary. We must ponder and marinate on Christ's suffering - with a heart set on forgiveness, releasing our burdens and rage to Jesus so that we can be made well. We often take for granted Christ's suffering - we don't realize the call of suffering in our own lives as disciples as Jesus. While I have learned the hard way that life is not about suffering, Christ does what us to enjoy an abundant life, we cannot rest so strong in our faith that we neglect to follow God's will in our lives. When we clutch the grace of salvation without being willing to give-up worldly matters to help those in need then are we really living in the GRACE of Jesus.
When Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was in deep despair - he asked HIS Father to spare him, if it was possible...Jesus in his humanity feared death and the pain of the trial before HIM.
We all face trials - the world can be a cruel place, but God is at work in the world and any suffering we endure - God through Christ and the Holy Spirit will lead you through. Who fears the darkness when you have the light of God within you?
Christ cast aside his fear, he turned it over to God and out of LOVE for the Father, but more importantly LOVE for humanity and the world - Christ took on suffering, he accepted his death - knowing in dying - he would be reborn through the resurrection of God.
During this Passion Week - look inward, realize your brokenness and give the shattered shards to Christ - he knows what it is to be bruised, beaten, mocked and broken...he understands the pain we feel when we are bullied and betrayed - he knows our hearts - even the dark spaces.
Imagine yourself if you were following Jesus the week of the Passion - What role would you play - would you magnify Jesus then step into the shadows of fear in times of persecution - or would you be at the foot of the cross. We are probably a bit like Peter, deeply faithful and desperate for Jesus in our lives to fill up our soul's cup, but in adversity we cling to the ways of the world, before recognizing our errors. It is important to be willing to scrutinize yourself - every blotch of anger, resentment, fear, bigotry and judgment this week and cast it aside - give it to God through Jesus Christ - ask that Christ come into your heart through the Holy Spirit with unceasing light - even for the darkest nights of the soul.
We live in uncertain times. Every material possession is built on sand. While God wants us to be grateful and enjoy life's blessings unless we can surrender fully our greed and anger to God - ready to serve him, then we will lie lost. I contemplate the pain and sorrow of those afflicted by war and famine, to the homelessness and greed in all societies. The evils of ISIS and Boko Haram - it is hard to have faith in good in uncertain times, but against the evil of this world we must be vigiliant in God's love, and walk in the way of Christ - actively fighting with our spirit of hope and truth to light a fire of love on the darkest paths. Evil might have its night, but the glory of God's goodness is forever and we are called in this world not only to prepare our hearts for the coming kingdom of heaven, but to bring heaven to earth in love, service and faith - even if that means we face hardship. The Lord is with you - do not be afraid.
Sometimes we must fight with arrows of faith - guarding and protecting those who are in danger - in the physical and spiritual realm...we cannot forget too our own journey - times when to let go of anger and when to be active soldiers for Christ - we need a balance because sometimes being a servant of God is letting go of the bitterness - so a cycle of forgiveness can begin - other times we must actively pursue justice
What if you stood at the base of the cross - seeing the despair and the hope out of the darkness - knowing that 'this man truly was the Son of God,' and still you turned away - too concerned about the status quo and worldly gains.
We all straddle these harsh questions and there are no easy answers. The only answer is to walk in the path of Christ: Jesus lived in love and compassion, he served and offered hope - and when it came between betraying HIS Father and HIS mission of salvation he rebuked the carnal world of the flesh for his DIVINE purpose of dying on the cross -
Remember Jesus - while we are reckless sinners lost and wandering - God is guiding us, he hears our prayers - He is not immune to our suffering - HE faced it and endured it in the worst way imaginable - so when we are called into suffering - God works to use it for our highest good - if we lean on Christ for understanding. Jesus trusted HIS Father to make HIM whole even in the face of pure evil and death - he maintained a focus of love and compassion and service to God. When he cried out 'My God...Why have you forsaken me,' Jesus is like us when we faithfully cry out in prayer 'Help us - do not be listening.' Even Jesus cried out in the silent spaces of suffering - God listens - God provides.
Christ is the Triumphant Way to God and he Restores all life...This week we must suffer as we give up our sins to God. I say suffer because it is hard to change bad habits, but when you let the past die you can move onto the future.
My minister tonight - reminded us the definition of passion:
an intense desire or enthusiasm for something.
"the English have a passion for gardens"
| synonyms: | fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, eagerness, zeal, zealousness, vigor, fire, fieriness, energy, fervency, animation, spirit, spiritedness, |
I am passionate about writing, music, art, service - passionate starts with what we love - Jesus's passion was a infinite boundless love for humanity and in that passion, he was willing to suffer and die without sin to save a sinful world. How great is God's love for us through Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit - Jesus calls us to be made well. Suffering is a part of life, but we need to balance our role as a suffering servant and being at peace and harmony in the world God created - never losing sight of the power of grace and our duty to be instruments of peace, love, forgiveness, light and service through Christ - that should be our life's work in all be do - even if it is something as simple as untying a metaphorical donkey.
Be willing to hear God's call, be willing to follow the way of Christ and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance - they answer prayers - even if sometimes it is through a journey in the wilderness to learn lessons and build our character in faith
I recently forgave those who had harmed me and led me to near destitution - I could not understand why God placed such burdens on me - I learned to rely on him and cast aside my fears - God sometimes calls us to tear down old foundations and ways of thinking so we can build our cornerstone in HIS Son, Jesus.
I hope you will join me this week as I blog about Passion Week. I sent prayers to all my readers. Remember the light out of suffering and the power of mercy in trial. God is with us, Christ is for us, the Holy Spirit is within us - DO NOT BE AFRAID
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