Giving it up for Jesus
What would you think if you went into your garage and found someone there about to take your car; and when you challenged them they said, “The Lord needs it”?! You might be rather suspicious, probably rightly so, but that is the situation that the owner of the colt finds himself in in this reading.
We don’t know whether the man knew Jesus, perhaps he did and that’s why he needed no further explanation. If Jesus needed something of his he could have it.
But it may not have been convenient. He may have been going somewhere else himself with his colt that day; he may not have thought it was ready to be ridden yet; perhaps he’d just got it clean and groomed and didn’t want it dirtying on the streets. All it took was those words, “The Lord needs it” and there was no further question.
How do we respond the that thought? “The Lord needs it”. ‘Here Lord, take it, what I have is yours to use as you need’? Or ‘Actually Lord, that’s really not quite convenient today, I had other plans, it’s not ready, I don’t want what I have spoiling’…
A similar thing happens later in the day. As Jesus rides along the people throw their coats on the floor ahead of him. This was clearly a sign of honour and respect. But again it asks the question, ‘would I have done that for Jesus?’ Would you want a donkey trampling over your coat – whoever was riding on it? If these people were in Jerusalem approaching the Passover, were they there in their best clothes, wanting to keep them clean and smart for the special day? Would they have been cold if they took their coats off – after all they were wearing them in the first place? But these question seem not to be important, what matters is honouring Jesus riding into Jerusalem.
I love the image of pomp and celebration encapsulated in the picture of Jesus riding and the people shouting and cheering for Jesus. But it makes me wonder where I would be in the scene? Laying down my all for Jesus to use, or holding back? Shouting his praise, or worried about the commotion?
What is Jesus saying to you, “The Lord needs it”, and will you let him have it?
Pam's Perambulation 