Knox Holy Week 2020 Devotional - Day #1: Palm Sunday
Luke 19:28-34
“After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
One of the strangest parts, for me at least, in this COVID-19 world is that staying at home is an act of love. I want to run into the “fire”, but I have to lay down my hero-complex and realize that other people are the heroes right now and what I can do to help is accepting the humble role of staying home and reducing transmission points. Nurses, sanitation workers, pharmacists, food banks, homeless advocates and grocery store clerks are the ones called to run towards the pain of this pandemic, they are living Christ-like sacrifice putting themselves at risk for the sake of others. I’m so grateful to them and pray for them.
But I have some pride to let go of too, because what I’m called to give is not what I expected to be asked to give. Right now I’m called to the quiet acts of living peacefully with those in my household, giving of my financial resources to those helping the vulnerable, giving my time to phone calls and video chats to keep community ties strong. I’m called to time in prayer, I’m called to patience and the sacrifice of restlessness. When a huge crisis hit our city, I hoped I would get to give more spectacularly. I admit it, my pride saw me giving visibly and grandly. Foolish when those actually on the frontlines, brave as they are, are also facing risk, untold fear and trauma seeing people die and suffer. We should pray for them, support them, not envy them.
I feel like how the owners of the colt Jesus rode into Jerusalem may felt—ready to give it all for the Lord and then asked to simply let a young animal go. We don’t know much about the owners of the colt, we don’t know if it was a small thing for them to give up the colt or a great sacrifice, but we do know they were obedient to what the Lord was asking of them. And through their obedience Jesus fulfilled a prophecy, another sign of many that he is the Messiah, our saviour. The owners of the colt got written into the Bible, the part they played contributing even in a small way to Jesus’ salvation of the world. Obedience to what the Lord asks of us matters.
So whatever you are being called to in this season of social distancing, or of risky essential services provision, know that obedience matters and writes you into the great big story God is writing. This is a story of the redemption of the whole world, the story of God’s Kingdom coming in its fullness when Jesus returns. Whatever the Lord needs from you right now, say yes.
PRAYER PROMPTS
Pray for those providing essential services and healthcare workers around the world. If you know any personally, pray for them by name.
Ask God, “What do you need from me in this season?”, spend at least one minute in silence listening (try 5!) and ask God for the grace, energy, courage and patience to be obedient to whatever he is calling you to.
