JESUS SPEAKING
And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought him to Jesus (Luke 19: 29 – 35.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
The book of Zechariah prophesied that the messiah would arrive humbly; “riding on a donkey.” Jesus therefore sent out a pair of disciples to procure an animal for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The men, upon being confronted by the animal’s owners, did exactly as they were instructed; they simply replied, “The Lord has need of it.” They were then permitted to leave. Much has been written about this brief encounter; many have highlighted the omniscience of God, the wisdom of Christ, and the faithfulness of the disciples. Yet in the presence of God’s glory, there exists a nameless stranger; a generous individual who recognized that his possessions were divine endowments; gifts from God, ready to be used to serve the Creator whenever He had need of them.
It is said of General George Gordon, that when the English government sought to reward him for his magnificent service in China, he declined all money and titles, but accepted a gold medal on which his name and a record of his thirty-three engagements was inscribed. After his death the medal could not be found. Eventually it was discovered that he had sent it to Manchester during a famine, with a request that it be melted and used to buy bread for the famished poor. In his diary that day he had written these words: “The last and only thing that I had in this world that I valued, I have given over to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Our possessions are not our own; our time, our money, and our resources all belong to God. We are mere stewards of what we have been given. When the Lord calls, we must be willing to relinquish control of our time, our money, and our goods so that others may know the love of Christ. Be still, and the Holy Spirit will tell you what, when, and where to give. Be generous and faithful, and you will experience the joy of the Lord; and His peace will fill your heart, now and forevermore.
“Lord Heavenly Father, give us opportunities to use our resources to further Your Kingdom. May we be generous; may we be faithful; may we serve others with gladness and singleness of heart; and may we never turn away from those who are in need. All that we have is Yours. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.” God bless all of you!
Jesus Speaks 