Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her foal. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.” This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Tell Daughter Zion, “See your King is coming to you, gentle, and seated on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. They brought the donkey and its foal; then they laid their clothes on them, and He sat on them. A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from trees and spreading them on the road. Then the crowds who went ahead of Him and those who followed shouted: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
– Matthew 21:1-11
Devotion
From Matthew 16:21 on, the Gospel writer has been preparing us for this climactic visit to Jerusalem – when the confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish leaders must come to a head. Jesus and His disciples enter Jerusalem during the Passover season when thousands of pilgrims from all over the world would gather to celebrate the Jewish festival. Jesus’ arrival on a donkey was no coincidence. He is publicly presenting Himself to the nation in accordance with the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9. The triumphal entry would constitute a clear and public challenge to the Jewish leaders to either accept or deny His Messianic claims.
The Big Question
How did Jesus know that the disciples would find a donkey? What were the people expecting of Jesus as He arrived in Jerusalem? What does the word “Hosanna” mean? Some obviously believed Jesus’ Messianic claims while others were threatened by them. What about you? Is Jesus truly your King? How does your love for Jesus show?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.