Thursday, November 7, 2024
Tell Daughter Zion, "See, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Matthew 21:5
The King Comes Gently
When we think of the word gentleness, we do not usually think of strength. We may even associate gentleness with weakness in our minds. Gentleness does not mean weakness. In fact, we have a Heavenly Father who has a gentle strength. Strength and gentleness can go together. Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. It means we show humility to God in our relationship with Him, and to be cordial and considerate where others are concerned.
It is the Holy Spirit in us that helps us to be gentle with others. We cannot in our own power be like Him. We also cannot “fix” our lives like we try to do. We spend many hours – some of them are sleepless hours in the middle of the night – trying in our own logic to solve our problems. Sometimes we do it because He is taking to long for our comfort. Sometimes we really believe that we can do it in our own power, and we don’t need Him. If we think we don’t need Him, why would we need to trust Him? God wants us to give Him everything and that means control of everything. When we humbly submit to Him, we have the strength of the Holy Spirit to do what He has for us to do.
The gentleness of God in us will flow into our interactions with everyone around us. With the elections taking place this week, we have probably all at least heard some heated conversations. We might get into tense conversations over our beliefs as well. Anything other than a gentle word is a sad misrepresentation of the Kingdom of God. Our flesh can sneak up quick but we will not draw others to God or glorify Him with aggressive and unkind actions or words. Gentleness will glorify Him and point others to Him every time.
Jesus, the King of Kings, was the example in all things for us from the cradle to the cross, including gentleness. He gently came as a baby, born in the lowliest of places. He gently healed, loved, led, and bound up the broken and brokenhearted on earth as He now does for us from Heaven. He treated the outcasts with gentleness and love. And when it was time, He gently and triumphantly rode into town, the King of Kings, on the lowliest of animals. Some expected Jesus to be a conqueror. That was their idea of a Messiah, who would naturally ride in on a magnificent horse. Jesus was a different King. He was a gentle King, who chose to humbly ride in on a donkey.
The scripture at the top is referencing Old Testament scriptures showing that Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey was a fulfillment of the prophecy. Even though He was not on a horse as a conquering general, He was actually doing what was normal for royalty. He was the gentle Prince of Peace riding on a colt.
“This entry into Jerusalem has been termed the triumph of Christ. It was indeed the triumph of humility over pride and worldly grandeur; of poverty over affluence; and of
meekness and gentleness over rage and malice.” (Clarke)
Jesus is the King of Kings, the greatest and most powerful of all kings. In that strength, coupled with His gentleness, He cares for us. He bends down to hear our cries. He binds our broken hearts and heals our inner wounds. You can trust Him with your heart today.
