A King on a Donkey

 Eliana stood proudly in her "puppy princess dress", lovingly named for it's beautiful princess quality, complete with a hot pink bow, and fashionably placed dalmatian print pattern.  Her fancy dress was topped off with sneakers and white bobby socks.  A perfect combination for my little warrior princess.  I'd asked her earlier, as we were leaving the house, if she would wear sneakers with her wedding dress one day.  "No way," she giggled, as if this was an absurd question. "I will wear high heels!!"  

The kids had filed into the middle school auditorium waving palm branches and singing...or not singing...as they made there way up onto the risers. They started off our Palm Sunday service with three songs this morning.  It was a wonderful way to begin a new week. 

[Elly waiting backstage prior to the service (left and center) and then during the "concert".  Thank goodness she wasn't sitting while she sang in front of everyone!]

As they were rehearsing prior to the service, the children's pastor, who is becoming a friend of mine, asked the kids whether a king rides a donkey.  Of course they all shouted "no", to which she replied something like, "that's right.  But Jesus did come on a donkey and He was a king".  It made me recall something that I had heard for the first time earlier in the week, which I then shared with my new friend.

Apparently, back in the time of Jesus, a king rode in on a horse if he was coming in a time of war.  However, if he was coming to announce peace, he rode in on a donkey.  The people welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday so long ago, did so waving and lying down palm branches to pave the way for their king, who was coming to bring peace.  The people had no idea the way in which Jesus would eventually bring peace.  It certainly was not in the manner they expected. 

As Easter approaches, I hope to carry the image of Jesus, as a king bringing peace, with me.  The temptation will be (and already is) to stress myself out this week with things that need to be done.  Today, that stress already bit me in the behind at least once or twice.  And yet, the Prince of Peace...the King of Peace...wants none of that for me.  He wants me to rest in Him, in my bobby socks and sneakers, expecting for Him to bring about some peace in ways that I cannot even imagine or expect. 

....and may the peace of God, that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7)