Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: DEVOTED (02/04/21)
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TITLE: The Colt, the Coat, and the Cords | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shanta Richard
02/10/21 -
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I experienced this recently as I contemplated on the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and the cleansing of the Temple. The whole passage opened up like a three act play. The first scene pictured the colt. The gospels of Mark and Luke record that Jesus told His disciples to go over to the village before them and find " a colt tied, where on never man sat; loosen him and bring him." (Mark 11.2, Luke 19. 30). I wondered why no man had sat on this colt. Was he a rebellious, uncontrollable animal, that the owner was happy to get rid of? Was not the colt that Jesus rode victoriously into Jerusalem, a docile obedient donkey? How did he change?
In my mind I saw myself as that rebellious colt tied up in sin. And then one day
Jesus found me and sent His messenger and redeemed me . Jesus touched me that day and changed me - I was born again - a new person. That's what happened to that colt that day.
The second scene pictures a coat a bystander is wearing during that triumphant procession. The Gospel of Mark records that, " many spread their garments in the way" (Mark 11.8). I imagine that the owner of this coat also spread it on the dirt before Jesus. To me, this is a symbol of total surrender. I once heard Pastor Richard Wurmbrand's sermon on the Song of Songs. Explaining verse 16 of chapter 2, he said that in the original that verse read as, " My beloved is mine , and I am not." That is when you are one with God, you as a person cease to exist, you loose your identity in God. This is the culmination of devotion.
The third scene pictures "a scourge of small cords". In verses 14 &15 of chapter 2 of John's gospel it is recorded that when Jesus went into the temple, He found "those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting; and when He had made a scourge of small cords He drove them all out of the temple ......" Here I picture myself as the scourge of cords made by the hands of Jesus to glorify God by serving His purpose in saving the world of sin and establishing His Father's Kingdom of righteousness.
The three act play ends on the note that devotion is a sacrifice and sacrifice is a challenge. The curtain comes down as the devoted believers of Jesus Christ victoriously cry out, " Hosanna to the son of David: blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest".
( All scripture references are from the King James Version of the Bible)
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