Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. Zechariah 9:9-12
Dear Lord Jesus, I’ll exhaust the wonder of this passage, as soon as I drink Niagara Falls dry… as soon as I memorize the names of every star you’ve launched into the heavens… as soon as I finish climbing every Alp in Switzerland, Italy, Germany and France. Which means never ever…
On this Palm Sunday morning, once again I’m overwhelmed with your humility… your sovereignty…and your generosity. What other king could conquer war-horses and warriors, riding the foal of a donkey? What other king could break the battle bow and the backbone of all warfare, by the brokenness of the cross? What other king could ever replace all politics of tyranny and power with a dominion and reign of peace… everywhere and forever?
What other king would offer his own life and death for the redemption and restoration of rebels, fools and idolaters, just like me? What other king could possibly make prisoners of sin, death and “waterless pits” into prisoners of hope?
Lord Jesus, these are the most redemptively rhetorical questions I can possibly muster, for they all assume and celebrate that you are that king. There is no other such king. Who is the king of glory? It is you, Lord Jesus, and only you. Who is the king of grace? It is you, Lord Jesus, and only you. Who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords? It is you, Lord Jesus, and only you.
I join my brothers and sisters today in rejoicing greatly, for you have come to us righteous and having salvation. Our hosannas are filled with the sobering and gladdening news of the whole of Holy Week. Lead us each day this week into a more profound surveying of your cross and a much clearer vision of your kingdom.
May your cross and your crown continue to free us from all other imprisonments, that we may live as prisoners of hope and agents of redemption. So very Amen, we pray, in your peerless and priceless name.
