The Tail of a Donkey

One of the main possessions of some in this day and age is a vehicle of some sort. When we purchase a vehicle, there is a fair amount of anticipation and excitement that builds up towards the moment when one actually gets into the driver’s seat and drives out, enjoying ones new means of transport with a fair amount of personal pride and joy.

In Biblical times, transport was provided by animals – yet we can surmise that similar expectations and sentiments must have been experienced by those who acquired their means of transport for their own uses. Some, like our car dealers of today, bred their animals to sell as a source of income, some bred to keep the offspring – all according to their respective needs and business practice.

Imagine being the owner of a donkey in Israel during New Testament times, and it produces a foal. This foal shows signs of being a strong specimen and worth keeping, or able to fetch a decent price for your benefit at some stage. You would nurture this animal well, and make sure it would grow up in a well protected environment. You would check on it every day and look forward to the time when it was grown enough to be able to break the animal in and make use of it for the first time.

There was one such man who lived in Bethany. His donkey had produced a foal and it was being well looked after, awaiting the day when it could be ridden for the first time. We cannot say for sure, but perhaps as part of the training process, he took it into his village one day and tied it up, going about his business. While he was away, a group of men hurriedly came up to the donkey, and untied the colt to take it away. Those standing by exclaimed:

"What are you doing, untying that colt?"

They replied: “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" (Mark 11. NIV)

The men disappeared with the animal. Imagine when the owner returned and learnt of the incident. How would you have felt in his position?

We know why the Lord required this animal. He was to ride this donkey’s colt through an incredible procession of palms and acclamations into the Holy City. Jesus sat atop the colt never ridden before, and was hailed as the person who was to ignite “…the coming kingdom of our father David!" (Mark 11:10 NIV)

But because of the importance of this event, we sometimes forget all the details of the story. What happened to the colt, and how important is it to know?

“The Lord needs it …and will send it back here shortly.'

What would you have done if you were the owner? Would you want it returned? Would you be upset the colt had been taken, or would you lean on the general knowledge of this man Jesus in Judea and rejoice that your animal was to be used for such a great occasion?

We may wish to consider these questions as insignificant in the greater picture – after all, what is a borrowed colt in the context of the Lord’s entrance into Jerusalem? But this is not the nature of the Saviour we worship, no matter how small issues may seem to the reader of these events. Having made his entrance into Jerusalem, he went into the temple and saw what was going on there - but as it was already late in the day, he withdrew from the city. He could have decided to go anywhere for the night as there were plenty of places around Jerusalem at the time of Passover - but Jesus had made a promise regarding borrowed property. So we read in Mark 11:11

“Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve” (NIV).

And so it was, that as the sun set on yet another day of Jesus fulfilling God’s will, a group of men walked into a village called Bethany, bringing back an animal that belonged to someone else. Although not recorded, it is a heart-warming assumption to consider the owner of the donkey meeting the Master, and being thanked for the use of his animal, and perhaps enjoying a time in conversation with the long awaited Son of David – the King of kings and Lord of lords.

We are comforted that Jesus has not changed. Each yearning we have has been thoroughly considered, and every need catered for in all our matters both great and small. Nothing has been left unturned in order to provide our complete atonement. Despite what we are, and despite what we might deem insignificant to the Lord, he loved us and chose us to be his, and remains true to his word. So we can look at acts of our Saviour in things seemingly so small - like the journey on a borrowed donkey’s colt - and be re-assured in a Saviour who has worked thoroughly and completely to tend to our every need.

Having done this, he tells us “not to worry” about anything with his fullest commitment, love and care, knowing full well that what he states is aligned with his Father’s desire to have each and every one of us cared for and embraced in His Kingdom:

Bro Mark Zeller (Durban, South Africa)