Your King

Rejoice, O people of Zion!

Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!

Look, your king is coming to you.

He is righteous and victorious,

yet he is humble, riding on a donkey —

riding on a donkey’s colt. Zechariah 9:9

IT WAS CLEAR from the angel’s announcement to Mary that the child she carried would be a king. “The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David,” he told her (Luke 1:32). But of course Jesus wasn’t born in a palace, but rather in a place where animals were kept. He slept in the trough animals ate from. Clearly he would not be a king like other kings. And yet, the wise men came looking for “the newborn king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2).

When Jesus began his ministry, people wondered if he was truly the King God had promised would come. At one point we read, “When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself” (John 6:15). Finally the day came when Jesus was prepared to present himself as King to his people. But he did it unlike any other king in the ancient world. In order to present themselves in all their power and splendor, ancient kings would ride into the cities they ruled over astride a stout white stallion. But when Jesus entered the royal city of Jerusalem, he did not arrive on a warrior steed. He came humbly, riding on a donkey.

Even though his fellow Jews had the prophecy from Zechariah, they didn’t recognize —or perhaps did not want to recognize —what Jesus was saying about himself when he entered Jerusalem this way. By arriving on a donkey instead of a warhorse, Jesus was saying, “I am not coming to slay you but to serve you. I’m coming not with a sword, but with salvation.” This is the kind of King who has come to us, the kind of King who invites us and our children to come under his loving rule. He is righteous, always doing what is right. He is victorious over the power of death and hell. Yet he is humble.

Lord, you came so gently and humbly to us, your people. And the world crucified you instead of bowing to you. Forgive us. Give ________ eyes to see that you are a good King. Overcome all resistance and rebellion. Bring ________ under your loving rule.