THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus
Monday, April 14, 2025

Lord, the story of your “triumphant entry” into Jerusalem riding a donkey holds great significance.

You chose a humble beginning when you left the splendors of Heaven and came to Earth. No birthing room in a luxurious palace, with attentive midwives standing by to assist Mary, awaited your arrival. The Christmas story suggests that livestock watched as the baby Prince of Heaven’s entrance began in a smelly stable in Bethlehem, ironically, a town known for raising sheep for Temple sacrifices. Shepherds came to worship, confirming that the Prince of Peace, the long-awaited Messiah, had come to dwell among us. Two years later, kings from the Orient arrived to worship you.

Now, thirty-three years later, you came to your people again in a humble manner, riding on a donkey. Middle Eastern culture held that if a king came riding a donkey, he came in peace. However, if the king came riding a horse, he came to declare judgment on the guilty.

When you entered the city riding a donkey, people welcomed you, placing their cloaks and palm branches on the road, praising you with “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Five days later, these same people shouted, “Crucify him!” and demanded your blood. Little did these folks know that all this was your plan from the beginning. Your blood, the perfect sacrifice, would cover the sins of all who believe and secure their salvation and eternal life with you in Heaven.

Thank you for coming to us, Jesus. Each day, may we welcome you and humbly acknowledge our need for your help to get through the day. May our actions and motives demonstrate to a skeptical world that you are the true Prince of Peace.

Amen, Jesus.