Seeing and trusting God right now
There wasn’t much social distancing in Jerusalem 2000 odd years ago on Palm Sunday. Crowds packed the way up to the holy city; each one clamoring to see Galilee’s prophet, Jesus of Nazareth, coming up to Jerusalem — on a donkey of all things. The crowd didn’t mind.
One by one coats and branches fell to the ground, expectations soared.
This man was different. This man said things no one said, and did things no one could. God was with him. One of Jesus’ followers would later describe the scene unfolding with a quote from Zechariah, an ancient prophet desperate for hope…We could use hope today. All of us.
“Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” -Zechariah 9.9
“Behold”
These days, it seems like all we’re doing — all we can do — is behold. We behold our phones, our feeds, desperate for something good. We’re listening again. Now more than ever. But to behold Jesus? Looking at him, we’ll see clearer and clearer that he’s the only one in our world holding the keys of death. The only one holding out hope.
“Your king is coming to you”
Everyone on the frontlines is proving something right now: love always makes the first move. Love steps into the room. Love doesn’t wait for external solutions, but love takes it personal. Love is a duty. This is the way Jesus loves, he moves in, he makes it personal, he gives himself. And when he moves in, expectation grows — hope grows. Where is our King? He’s not in the tomb. He’s on his way again. He’s bringing rescue to our doorstep.
“Humble and mounted on a donkey”
Jesus doesn’t exploit his power, doesn’t take advantage. He’s wise and dangerous, yet completely reasonable and peaceable. Roman generals would enter a city in a triumphant procession, parading their power from war horses, Jesus chose a beast of burden on the way to the cross, parading his humility. Many often picture God as a distant and disappointed Dad — nothing is further from the truth. He’s a humble, approachable King.
Jesus is here. Not on the otherside of COVID-19. He’s here now, ready to bear our burdens, our sin — as one humble and helpful. Could you trust a King like that?
Jared Stacy 