Luke 19:28 - 40

 Luke 19: 28 - 40 

Jesus comes to Jerusalem as the great king of peace in what is called the triumphal entry.  It is full of symbolic gestures and actions. The cries of the people, the makeshift carpet for the ass to walk over, the ass itself all have meaning. But one phrase in the story doesn't seem to fit, one line seems, in the bigger picture, to be out of place. 

Beast of burden were kept by people living near Jerusalem. The animals were used to carry the baggage and sometimes the pilgrims the last couple of miles into the city. The presence of the animal and its availability is not that surprising. Some have seen the acquisition of the animal as a pre-arranged plan, others as the moving of the Spirit. But notice one line in this story, “The Lord has need of it”. That line is paradoxical if not oxymoronic. Allow a paraphrase here: “The Creator and master of the universe, God himself needs to borrow your donkey”. God doesn't need anything. The self-existing One who's being is complete in Himself doesn't need anything. The One who spoke the vastness of the universe into existence doesn't need a young burro. But there it is, “the Lord has need of it”. In the marvel and condescension (in the best sense of the word) of the Incarnation, the God of creation has a need that can only be filled by a little donkey. 

God doesn't need you or me. His will is going to be accomplished because of Whom He is. But in another wonder of the limitations He places on Himself He invites us to partner with Him in his scheme of redemption. Does God need us? Not at all.  Did Jesus need a donkey? Yes. But if not that donkey another one would have done. The Lord has chosen to work in and through His disciples so He in one sense needs disciples, us, you and me. But if not through us there is somewhere, someone else or even an ass that will carry the gospel. So why not surrender ourselves and be His instrument?

“Lord, use me as you see fit. AMEN”