A Special Donkey

Last week's post featured a donkey who talked -- certainly a miracle!  This post concerns another miracle with yet another donkey.  Have you ever noticed how often God uses donkeys to get His messages across?  In VBS this week, my friend Sandy was telling the story of the Triumphal Entry.  I always knew the donkey had a special part in the whole story, but when Sandy pointed out all the elements, it dawned on me how much of a miracle the donkey's part really was.

In the photo above, this little donkey in Santa Fe, New Mexico is an extra-sturdy fellow and carries a heavy load.  The little donkey - a colt really - in the story with Jesus carried the most precious load of all.  Here's a look at his part in the story from Mark 11:

When Jesus and His disciples were just outside Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives, He sent two disciples out, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat.  Loose it and bring it.  And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediatley he will send it here" v. 2-3.

The fact that the colt was where He said it would be, that the owner would respond as He did, and that the colt would behave so well when it was untrained -- was altogether miraculous.  Those of us who follow Christ know He is omnipotent and omniscient, so it is no surprise that He knew all about this colt and what would transpire before it happened.  Nonetheless, it's always exciting to see His power in action.  And it must have been a great faith-booster for the disciples.

Just imagine that young colt - which had never been ridden and normally would have been totally unmanageable -- imagine how docile and calm he was as His Maker rode upon his back.  And, despite the yelling of the crowd and the waving of hundreds of palm leaves in front of his young face, the donkey walked straight ahead -- in total obedience to the Master.  It's a beautiful picture!  Once again, we learn a lesson from a lowly donkey.

As it says in Matthew 21:4-5:  "All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 'Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

I join in heartfelt words of praise as spoken by the multitudes:  "Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!"