Christian Short Stories

King On A Donkey
By John Miller

John is a retired Engineer doing prison ministry for Christ.

Sitting astride the donkey colt, Jesus rides past pine trees, grape vineyards and date palms. The crowd grows in numbers and intensity as they shout "Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." A few children run alongside, their small hands on the flanks of the donkey, their eyes fixed on Jesus. His disciples follow, mixed in with the pressing crowd. Jesus takes all of this jubilance into his heart and smiles at the crowd. His mind is elsewhere.

As he crests a hill, Jesus sees Jerusalem. The city of His people is now cosmopolitan and swollen with nearly 250,000 Jews preparing for the Passover. Herod's temple rises above an enormous platform, its tower rising over eighty feet to proclaim dominance of the Jewish population. Its Roman influence in design is detestable to many city Jews. Yet, their Roman style homes and palaces dot the hillsides. These are the abodes of the rich Priests and their families living alongside Romans. Their lifestyle has become much like their alien oppressors, while their culture holds remnants of sacred rituals born in the Tent of Meeting during the Exodus. Jewish hearts of this city are dark with hatred of the rebel Jesus, now about to ride in with the swarm of followers. The Temple Leaders are informed; spies are sent out to meet this unwelcome throng. Jesus knows all this. He sees the stone sign that warns the non-Jew that certain death awaits him should he enter past a certain point into the temple area. He sees the poor, sick and wretched who must beg outside the temple gates and at the steps of the synagogues. The division of rich and poor, Jew and non-Jew stands as an indictment of a culture of greed now pervasive in the city. Jesus sees all this and his heart aches. His sorrow deepens as his mind turns to the betrayal that awaits him.

At one point the colt stumbles on a large rock and an angel steadies the animal. Just then, a heavenly sound reaches Jesus' ears. He looks up to see tens of thousands of angels on the hillsides surrounding the city. Unseen and unheard by man, they sing a chorus of praise and comfort to their Lord. His spirit is lifted by these heavenly messengers. They stand ready to defend him, should he command. He does not. The cross ahead of him is his alone. Now he looks past the sorrow, pain and suffering that he will endure in the city. He looks ahead to his resurrection with an inexpressible inner joy. He knows of the incomprehensible grace of God that awaits the countless souls who will believe in him; all those he will redeem for his Father. He will fulfill God's plan of reconciliation before being welcomed home in heaven. As he enters the temple area, all heaven holds its breath, "Hosanna!"

(© 2010 John Miller – All rights reserved. Written material may not be duplicated without permission.)

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