My 1st grader checked a book out of the library about the first Christmas in Bethlehem. Each page was narrated by a different character in the nativity story. The cattle telling of loaning Jesus their hay trough to use as his bed. The angle who first sang of birth of the Savior. The shepherd's who followed the star and angelic chorus to discover the new born king. What a fun bedtime tale it was, beautiful illustrations too.
This has my mind thinking of all the creatures present at the birth of Jesus...
My thoughts are focused in on one barnyard animal, the donkey. The one who walked the 80-some miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The one who bore the weight of Mary and the gift in her womb. The one who carried our Messiah. Did this barnyard creature know the importance of the cargo it transported? Was it clip-clopping along, trying to reach the destination; longing for a bite to eat and a place to rest?
I think the donkey knew... he was God's creation. Created quite possibly for such a job as this.
He carried our Savior to the city of David. This was professed in Zachariah 9:9
"Rejoice o people of Jerusalem.... Your King is coming humbly to you... riding on a donkey." (NLT paraphrased)
I picture that donkey walking with his head held high, proudly delivering it's cargo to the stable of the Inn. This Christmas season, how will you walk? Proud of your Savior as you celebrate His birthday? Or will you just be goofing through the motions of the season, forgetting the reason for celebrating?Ironically, that same King rode into Jerusalem on a donkey again... Some 33 years later, to celebrate Passover .... But dear readers that may be a spring time tale...
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