The Master Has Need

Bethany and Bethphage are suburb villages to Jerusalem, located about two miles away on the southeast slope of the Mount of Olives. Jesus had arrived in Bethany on Thursday, and word quickly spread that Jesus was staying in the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. A multitude of travelers was converging on Jerusalem for the annual Passover festival, and many who came by way of Bethany stopped to see Jesus and Lazarus for themselves.

On Friday, Jesus began his short walk into Jerusalem, surrounded by the crowds of pilgrims. as they neared Bethphage, he dispatched two of his disciples--we might picture them as Peter and John, who were so often paired together for special tasks--to a home in the village where they would find a donkey tied to a post, and her colt with her which had never been ridden. It wasn't so much the donkey that he wanted as it was the unridden colt, but Matthew records that both were brought to Jesus. Knowing the reputation of donkeys, it's easy to imagine that the colt might not have come without its mother's leading.

Now a few questions come to my mind about that colt.

How did Jesus know it would be there? Of course, I know that as the Son of God Jesus had insight into things such as peoples thoughts and hearts. He always knew where Peter should fish, even with an unbaited hook to catch the one fish in the sea that had two coins in its mouth for taxes. He knew all sorts of things, so maybe that's the easier question to answer. Or maybe he saw it while mingling with the crowds around Bethany and Bethphage before he started his trip to Jerusalem. Either way, Jesus knew exactly where to look for what he needed.

When Jesus sent his disciples to get the colt, he told them that if anyone asked what they were doing, they were to answer, "The Lord has need of it." Well of course someone--like the owner--was bound to ask, "Hey, what are you doing with my donkey?" And when the disciples answered, "The Lord has need of it," that was the end of the discussion. The owner let them go. Now, did Jesus know the owner? Did the owner know Jesus? Did the owner believe that if Jesus needed to borrow it, he would also bring it back? No matter what reasoning was involved in the release of the colt into the hands of the disciples, Jesus knew that acquiring what he needed was not going to be a problem.

Finally, if that colt had never been ridden, what kept it from bucking Jesus off and running away from this noisy throng? I'm satisfied to think that if Jesus knew where to find the colt, and knew that borrowing the colt would not be objectionable, then certainly he knew other things about the colt that we do not. Jesus knew that the colt would submit to his use.

We, you and I, are creatures made for the pleasure of God. We were made to worship and to serve at His will, but because of humanity's fall, not everyone does so. Instead, God finds and chooses vessels of service by His own will and power and takes them to Himself. God knew where to find you and I when He had need of us; God knew acquiring us would not be a problem; and God knew that we would submit to Him at the perfectly ordained time.

That colt at the crossroads was no mistake. Neither are you. God knows what He's doing, and "The Master has need of you."