Daily Devotionals

March 26, 2021

This is the fifth week of Lent, and all of the devotions are centered on the theme
“My Personal Relationship with Jesus.”


Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!

   Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!

Lo, your king comes to you;

   triumphant and victorious is he,

humble and riding on a donkey,

   on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

   and the warhorse from Jerusalem;

and the battle-bow shall be cut off,

   and he shall command peace to the nations;

his dominion shall be from sea to sea,

   and from the River to the ends of the earth.

 

Zechariah 9:9-10

 

 

The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,

‘Hosanna!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord—

   the King of Israel!’

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:

‘Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.

Look, your king is coming,

   sitting on a donkey’s colt!’

 

John 12:12-15

In the ancient Middle East, when a King entered a city on a horse, it meant something. It meant he was at war or was entering as a conquering hero of a war just past. Roman generals who had successfully concluded a foreign war might be awarded a Triumph, a victorious parade into the city of Rome. First in the parade would be the spoils of war, including valuables and captured nobility in chains.  Then the triumphant general would follow on a grand chariot pulled by horses or on his own armored war horse. He might wear a laurel wreath or a crown, or hold a scepter, or be dressed in robes of royal purple. The general would be followed by his winning troops, calling “Io Triumphe” and cheering him loudly for his victory.

 

So the entrance of our King Jesus into the city of Jerusalem with people waving palm branches, shouting “Hosanna,” and praising God in joy is a strong contrast. And Jesus is riding in on a young donkey. That would have had symbolic meaning for the first people seeing Him. Kings who came in peace rode gentle donkeys into a city. Centuries earlier Solomon rode a donkey into Jerusalem on the day he was recognized as the new King of Israel. Jesus came into Jerusalem not to lord it over anyone, not to bring crushing military might, but to bring quiet peace. The angels who ushered Jesus into the world with the song “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill among people” would have approved His choice of steed.  And the courage Jesus would find on the road to the Cross—the courage to love us to the end—would be far greater than the courage of any general in battle.

For Reflection


Jesus is coming into Jerusalem to defeat sin and death and the devil.  Why doesn’t He enter in a war-like way?


What does it say about His character that He comes to the battle peacefully?

Prayer


Dear Lord, we think strength is shown in anger and aggression. But You chose to enter the cosmic battle against evil with peace and joy. How can we learn about Your kind of strength? How can we face the greatest challenges in our lives with gentleness and quiet peace?  Lord, teach us Your Way that we can find that kind of strength in times of trial and pain. Show us how to follow You. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Rev. Vicki Franch
Pastor for Pastoral Care
404-842-2571