Pastor's Pondering
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What if Jesus Needs Your...
by Duane Mabee on March 24, 2021Imagine one day that a couple of door-to-door evangelists come to your driveway and began hotwiring your old faithful Toyota Tundra and your brand-new Tacoma. When you confront them, they reply, “Jesus needs them for a while. We’ll bring them back”. How would you respond? You are a believer. You know Jesus and you want to follow Him, but how would you really respond?
You probably recognize that what I’ve asked you to imagine happened in real life to some unsuspecting donkey owners as Jesus began His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Luke 19 tells us that Jesus sent two of His disciples into a village to bring back a donkey and a colt that had never been ridden. When the owners confronted the disciples, they said what Jesus told them to say, “The Lord needs them,” and the owners let them take the animals and go. If you were those owners, would you have let them take your valuable donkeys?
Go back to the Tundra and Tacoma because we can relate to them better than donkeys. If God asked you to give them up for a while for Him, would you? If we are honest, we would likely resist – a lot.
“That Tacoma is brand-new. I haven’t even driven it myself!”
“God, I don’t know these people. I don’t know how well they take care of stuff.”
“They are too valuable to let go of. What if they don’t bring them back?”
“They are mine!”
“The Lord doesn’t really need them. He can walk like everyone else is.”
We like to think we would respond like the donkey owners. “Jesus needs them! OK. Take them.” But is that the way we respond to lesser things the Lord asks us to give up for Him? When God asks us to give Him our…
Time…
Money…
Career…
House…
Future…
Friendships…
…do we or have we eagerly said, “If You need them Jesus, take them”?
More worship took place that first Palm Sunday than the shouting of the crowds and the sacrifice of palm branches and coats. Somewhere in a small village outside of Jerusalem, a small group of donkey owners worshiped Jesus by giving Him the use of their donkeys – without further questions, without reserve.