March 21 - Fetch what???

Contributed by John Smith, professor of education, director of secondary teacher education and coordinator of teacher licensing on Wednesday March 20

Scripture

Matthew 21:1-11 - When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
"The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."

Devotion

From my perspective, thousands of miles and years away from Jesus' ministry on earth, his request that disciples go into an unknown village, untie a donkey and its colt and bring them to him seems outlandish. I may not have taken him seriously.

But these two disciples didn't flinch; they promptly did what Jesus asked.

On the way from Galilee to Jerusalem, they had seen Jesus bless children and heal the blind and had heard him tell the young rich man to sell his possessions and give all to the poor. Jesus had told them parables of the kingdom of heaven and foretold his death and resurrection. They had been up close to Jesus and were on the way to understanding his take on the kingdom of God.

These two disciples quickly brought Jesus the donkey and colt and Jesus rode into Jerusalem to a chorus of exuberant hosannas. The whole city was in turmoil and asking, "Who is this?"

What outlandish thing is God asking me to do in this time and place? Oh that I might travel day by day with God and increasingly learn kingdom ways so that as God calls me, I will go without flinching into shouting crowds and an uncertain future!