Nougat 10

Have you ever read a verse or passage of scripture and wondered ‘How on earth!’? This season in the Christian calendar often takes me there. May God grant us insights as we reflect on today’s Holy Nougat

““Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:30, 36‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I remember sitting in the church annex and hearing the Palm Sunday story for the first time. I was fully caught up in the drama and it was spectacular! Some years later, I noticed a few ‘discrepancies’ that caught my eye.

The first was – How’d the owner just happen to have the colt tied in visible view?

On a Faith level, I know the answer. It’s all God! For only God could have aligned every aspect so that the colt was right there. Of course, it could have been pre-arranged. Jesus might have met with the owner and made the plan. If so, why use that password and action?!

But it could also be that God had a hand in designing how the events unfolded. The owner could have reneged. Someone might have felt frisky and hopped on the colt. But the colt was untried. (And it didn’t throw Jesus off its back!) Perhaps we may be also open to the move of God, whether as the ‘owner’, the one who has to trust that things will go as planned, or even as the one who bears the weight of carrying the king.

Secondly – and equally important – How on earth did the people transition to seeing Jesus as conquering King? Hadn’t others journeyed that road before, or was it a specific section reserved only for those ready to be enthroned? Were those onlookers like Anna, just awaiting the sign from God? Did God’s Spirit hover over Jesus like a dove so the people knew that Jesus was indeed the Anointed One? But it’s not explicitly mentioned.

So what was the clue; and how did they recognize Him; even more critically, what motivated them to be ‘identified’ with Jesus? For if He rode into town as king or Messiah; then those who recognized Jesus as such were also insurrectionists! And what passed through their minds as they waved palm branches at Him? For Jesus’ army at the time, the visible ones that is, comprised a bunch of bedraggled men, some questionable people (including the incognito followers such as Nicodemus and social misfits like Zacchaeus), and perhaps a few women of influence! Those were not generals or political tacticians. And they were unarmed! Yet, the branch-wavers shouted ‘Hosanna!’, which means ‘Save us!’

So what did they see so differently on that day that moved them so dramatically and demonstratively? Did they count the cost? And what will it take for us to affirm our Lord as publicly? Will we count the cost?

May we be as visibly faithful in celebrating Jesus as our Messiah wherever we are.

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May all we seek be found in Christ