When

READ: MARK 11:1-11; JOHN 12:12-16

Do you ever have one of those moments when something from the Bible sticks out to you, and it’s just what you need to hear? The other day, I had that kind of moment while I was reading Mark 11. As Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, crowds of people wave palm branches and shout “Hosanna!” Jesus is fulfilling a prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 that says, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” That Jesus is riding a donkey is obviously very important. But what struck me was how Jesus gets the donkey. When He’s getting close to Jerusalem, He sends two of His disciples and says, “Go to the village ahead of you…you will find a colt tied there…Untie it and bring it here” (Mark 11:1-2).

If I’d been one of those disciples, and if I’d known that Jesus was going to need a donkey when we got to Jerusalem, I would’ve wanted to plan a bit farther ahead. I would’ve brought a donkey with us, or sent someone ahead several days before to find a donkey we could borrow or buy, or maybe do both just so we’d have a backup plan if one of the donkeys got sick or injured or lost. After all, if it was so important to have a donkey, we should be extra prepared! But that’s not what Jesus does. He knows there will be a donkey ready at just the time He needs it. And there is. The disciples didn’t need to plan ahead and make arrangements—God was taking care of all the details, and they just needed to do what Jesus told them to do, when He told them to do it.

In my own life, I often find myself thinking several steps ahead. And when I realize there’s something I’m going to need later, but I don’t have it now, it’s easy for me to get stressed. While it’s good to plan ahead sometimes, lately I’ve felt like God has been inviting me to let go of the worries I’ve been carrying (Matthew 11:28-30). To trust Him to provide what I’m going to need, when I’m going to need it (Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:12-13). It’s okay if I don’t feel completely prepared right now. My job is just to follow the King, one step at a time. After all, He loves me so much that He was willing to go to Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, and face the cross for me. And He is so powerful that nothing could keep Him in the grave. When I remember that, it gets easier to trust Him with all the details of my life. • Hannah Howe

• What kinds of future needs do you tend to worry about? Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about these, asking for His guidance and help, and resting in His care for you.

“Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there.” Mark 11:2 (NIV)