Christian Reflection and Prayer

"Traveling with Our Special Guest"

Read Matthew 21:1-7.
Behold, your King is coming to you, humble, and mounted on
a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.
Matthew 21:5B

Our Advent journey continues and, no, we're not there yet!
(Wondering when we would arrive was always my favorite
question during our long family trips.) Today a special guest
joins us. He doesn't claim the best seat-either in the front of
the car or in the first-class section of the plane. He's content
to sit in coach, or if it were our old station wagon, He'd be
sitting in the middle seat in the middle bench. Even more
likely, He'd be in the rear-facing backbench that only my
youngest brother and I could handle riding in.

Thousands of years ago this One also travelled with crowds
making their way up to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.
Even though He was by far the greatest to ever walk those
roads, year after year He walked as one among many. But in
today's reading, Jesus took His rightful place at the center of
the throng. He rode with praises into Jerusalem for the final
festival where He would go to battle for us, laying down His
life that we might have eternal life.

At Jesus' command two of the disciples borrowed an animal
on which He would ride into Jerusalem as our conquering King.
But He did not choose a towering, powerful, warhorse. No, He
rode on a young donkey, a lowly beast of burden.

That is the mark of our King. At Christmas He comes as a tiny
baby, humble and lowly, born in a manger. In meekness He
came to lay down His life as a sacrifice to save us from our sins,
from death, from Satan, and from hell.

Today He also comes among us in humility. He chooses lowly
water and joins His Word to it to transform lost sinners into
children of God. He gives us His body and blood in humble
bread and wine to forgive us by that same sacrifice that took
away the sins of the world.

Today Jesus invites us, "Come to Me, all you who are weary
and burdened and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Even as
we continue our journey toward Jerusalem, our King comes right
alongside us in great gentleness and humility. Since He is humble,
we too are moved to meekness toward each other, knowing He has
made our future certain in our eternal home.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, our Savior, thank You for coming to us in such humility.
You have saved us and now You ride with us to keep us and protect
us. Reassure us by Your presence and guide us safely to our home.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)