“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey… Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.” Zech. 9:9-12
Dear Jesus, what a breath-taking, hope igniting vision Zechariah gave us of the first Palm Sunday—the beginning of what we call Holy Week. Only you could fulfill everything Zechariah saw from afar. The week began with shouts of “Hosanna!” Within days, “Crucify Him!” became the angry cry that filled the courtyard. But the final everything-changing declaration was “He is risen!”
As we set aside the next several days to “survey the wondrous cross,” fill our hearts fill with wonder, love, and praise. No other king vanquishes warhorses, warriors, and war by mounting the foal of a donkey, and choosing death on a cross.
No other king replaces the dominion of darkness and the tyranny of evil, with an eternal reign righteousness, peace, and joy. No other king gave his perfect life to ransom rebels, fools, and idolaters. No other king can possibly make slaves of sin into prisoners of hope. None but you, King Jesus—only you.
As we await the end of the war in Ukraine, and your return to finish making all things new, free us to live as prisoners of hope, conduits of your grace, and servants in your kingdom. So Very Amen.