March 19 – Mark 11:1-11

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ~ Zechariah 9:9 (NIV)
The crowds welcomed Jesus with excitement and adoration as He rode into Jerusalem for the Passover festival. Yet some of the same voices who cried “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” on Sunday would be crying “Crucify Him!” on Friday because Jesus did not do what they wanted Him to do.
In the very cries of the crowd is an expectation—“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” (v. 10) The people believed that Jesus had come to drive out the occupying Romans and take the throne of Israel, reinstating David’s family line and restoring the former earthly glory of Israel. When they shouted “Hosanna!” (“Save!”), they wanted Jesus to save them from Roman oppression. They wanted safety, peace, and prosperity. But Jesus’ way of saving them was eternal, not earthly. They wanted comfortable lives; Jesus wanted to give them eternal life. The war He was waging was not against the Romans but against sin and death.
The crowds should have known that Jesus wasn’t going to start a conflict with the Romans. He came riding into Jerusalem on a young donkey. It was well-known at the time that a king entering a city on a donkey came in peace. If He had planned to challenge Roman rule, He would have ridden a horse into the occupied city. His peaceful entry fulfilled prophecy (see the quote from Zechariah above), as did His death on the cross for our sins (see Isaiah 53). The people just couldn’t see it yet. They were blinded by their own expectations. God always exceeds our expectations, though. He is a God of many surprises and good gifts, which is why we need to welcome Him as Lord as well as Savior, submitting to His will and guidance.
As you go before the Lord in prayer today, welcome Him as your Savior and your Lord. Ask Him if there is any area of your life that you have not yet surrendered to His will. If He shows you something, ask for His help in surrendering it. Allow Him to lead, and expect the unexpected. With God, you may not always get what you think you want, but He will always give you what you need.
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