One of the great benefits of growing up in Detroit was how much the automobile influences the culture. The Motor City and its folks are proud of its auto history, and almost everyone either worked for or had family who worked for or was connected to the big 3. Henry Ford is hailed as a founding father, and families identify as much with whether they are a Chrysler or GM family. Just as much as they choose to either root for the University of Michigan (U of M) or Michigan State.
For our family and many families, we knew what kind of car you were going to try, and secure for driving was paramount. Sixteen years of age was a hallmark there because you officially entered the “auto world.” I know every teenager looks forward to driving, but driving in the Motor City is a cultural rite of passage. Most kids I knew started saving early for a car, and posters adorned bedroom walls of dream machines. Once the car was purchased or handed down, weekends were spent washing and waxing, and the more advantaged decked out their vehicles with high-quality stereo and paint jobs. The conversation always included wheels, talk of Holley carburetors, etc. Everyone had a dream vehicle on their bucket list. I was fortunate to lay hold of a 1972 Dodge Charger. Even now, I still have a secret desire for a muscle car.
One of my closest friends inherited a 1966 Ford Mustang, and it was beautiful. It was in mint condition and was revered by all of us who grew up together. We all looked forward to the auto show at Cobo Hall, and either you cruised Woodward if you were a west sider, or you cruised Gratiot Ave if you hailed from the Eastside. Cars were a prized possession, and we were passionate about them!
You might be wondering what this has to do with a focus on Lent. But every time I read the account of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, I think about my beloved 72 Charger. Mark 11 says that Jesus and His disciples came to Bethany on the Mount of Olives, and Jesus sent 2 of them on ahead to a nearby village. Jesus’s instructions to these guys went like this…
“When you enter the city, you will see a young donkey colt tied up. Untie it and bring it to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, “The Lord needs it and will return it soon.”
What??? No other explanation, no cash exchange, no signatures, or leaving a valuable as security, just take it. I realize in this day and point in history; this is someone’s 66 Mustang, only it’s a different model. This is one of the very few possessions, valuable for transportation, a necessity for carrying essentials like grain and flour—a lifeline to ease the burden of an already tough life. And the disciples are asked to untie it and take it. Sort of like for us, the keys are under the mat, hop in and drive, and if anyone stops you, tell them, “The Lord needs it.” Realizing, of course, that if they are accused of stealing, it could mean arrest, imprisonment, or even stoning. At the least, having your hand cut off.
The execution of the task is the testimony of the trust these disciples have in Christ. Although when I get to heaven, I want to ask these two fellows what they talked about on the way to pick up the donkey. To passionately obey without understanding, to place blind trust in instruction in Jesus and the direction He takes me can be a good indicator of where I am in my walk of faith. Most days, I fall short of this type of trust but know Christ is ever encouraging me and never judges me in my state of fear.
On the other hand, let’s talk about the person who owns the donkey. It’s not like they got a heads up, a letter in the post, or an email letting them know Jesus was going to take their donkey for an extended cruise through town. Notice the instructions were if you get asked, tell them the “Lord needs it.” No explanations about why, how long, and the return date is specific.. “.soon” is the date the disciples are to give. I think of my 72 Charger or my friend’s 66 Mustang. If I were approached by two guys asking me for the keys and telling me, “the Lord needs it and will return it soon,” my knee-jerk reaction would be a simple no. But the owner of the donkey must be a devoted follower of Jesus and had reached a level of faith that must have achieved a “whatever you need, Lord, it’s yours ” status. This is mind-blowing for me. To blindly say yes to God without knowing the whys and hows demonstrates a level of trust I aspire to. You might be thinking, God doesn’t work like this, but folks, He has worked many times like this down through history. Noah built a Model A Ark, that is, without knowing even what it would be used for. The investment of all that wood and time. That’s pretty much like God asking for your whole herd of donkeys or your car, the boat, and the trailer. When I consider what God could ask for that I might want to hesitate about releasing; I feel the urge to get in my prayer closet and not come out until I have peace that there is nothing I want to possess more than His presence and His peace. I do not have to earn God’s love, or He doesn’t accept me more if I say “Yes. Lord”. But God invites me in for the cooperative blessing available as a participant in His plans and activities. Think of the peace the donkey owner had and the joy he must have experienced when Jesus came riding through Jerusalem on that donkey, fulfilling the prophecy and him playing a part in kingdom history. All because “The Lord needs it” was enough for this person. Wow!
By the way, the account in Mark 11 states that bystanders questioned the two disciples when they untied the donkey. They supplied the answer that Jesus gave to them if asked, and it worked! They took the donkey to Jesus, and the scriptures report that Jesus rode that donkey down the main street in Jerusalem on what we now celebrate as Palm Sunday.
I celebrate the passion of the people as they waved palm branches and shouted “Hosanna.” I am overwhelmed by the passion that Christ had for the Father’s will as He moves ever closer to the cross for my salvation. I am inspired by the passionate follow-through of 2 disciples that obeyed expediently. But I am passionately convicted by the guy who owned the donkey and lived out the “You can have it, Lord, just because you need it.”
Lord, let my mind be attuned to what you ask of me. Let my heart be willing, and let my hands be open. Let there be a yes on my lips before you ask the question. Remind me, Lord; you own all the donkeys, all the mustangs, and even the chargers. Amen.
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