Luke 19:30
Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
I encourage you to read the entire account of this colt being loosed, brought to Jesus, and its usefulness in the grand scheme of God’s plan (Luke 19:28-38). When Jesus sought to glorify God, fulfill Scripture, and ride into Jerusalem, He chose one of the lowliest animals. He selected no stallion, chariot, or palanquin, such as Solomon might have used, but a donkey.
Donkeys were not considered clean animals and were unfit for sacrifice. Each time a donkey was born, being ceremonially unclean, a lamb had to die in its place:"And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem" (Exodus 13:13).
Jesus knew exactly where this little beast could be found and sent two men to retrieve it. The men found it tied—a condition the donkey had no power to change. It could not tie or untie itself. At Jesus' command, the men loosed the colt and brought it to the Savior.
Now, this once-hopeless little donkey stood before its Creator. And what did Jesus do? He saw fit to sit upon it, making it a vessel of His honor. The donkey, tied hopelessly to a post just hours before, now paraded the Messiah through the streets as the crowds glorified Him.
Dear reader, can’t you see yourself in this little donkey’s position? Like it, we too are unclean creatures: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We are unfit to pay the price for sin ourselves. If we were to live, there had to be a Lamb who would take our place—and there was: “The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
We were tied up, hopelessly bound to our sin and fallen nature, born into a condition we could not escape. But the Lord, knowing our helpless state, sent someone to us with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We were loosed from our bondage, brought before our Creator, and He saw fit to make us vessels of His honor.
Even in our lowliness, we carry within us the God of the universe. When we live for His glory, we parade Him everywhere we go. The exclamations of men when we pass should bring glory to God—not to us.
This morning, perhaps this post finds you tied up and hopeless. Despite your best efforts, you cannot break free from sinful habits, addictions, or other burdens of a fallen world. Take heart—He has a purpose for you. Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Interestingly, the word “destroy” and “loose” are translated from the same original word.
Hear Him today. Follow those who lead you to Him, and your life can be transformed—from captivity and burdens to freedom and the lightest burden a man can bear: Jesus Christ. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest... For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
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