Are You Willing to be "Donkey-jacked"?
What if God came asking for your donkey?
I ride around with my doors locked…always have. I suppose I have a bit of a phobia about being carjacked. Maybe that sounds a little crazy, but I’m not too keen on someone commandeering something that belongs to me and taking it for his own.
As I’ve been meditating this Easter season, I’ve found myself returning often to a passage of Scripture where Jesus’ disciples were, in a sense, carjackers. Of course, since they didn’t have cars back then, I guess we should call them donkey-jackers. Jesus needed a donkey to fulfill Old Testament prophecy concerning His entry into Jerusalem, so He told His disciples exactly where to go to “borrow” one.
“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.”’” — Mark 11:1–3 (ESV)
What if the owners had refused? This man had likely invested time, care, and resources into that animal. He had plans for it. Yet he relinquished it because, as Jesus said, “The Lord has need of it.” Granted, as God, He ultimately needs nothing—He is completely self-sufficient. But in carrying out His plan of redemption, He chose to use this particular donkey, and the owner was willing to release it.
God used that simple creature to display the glory of His Son. Little is indeed much when God is in it—or, in this case, on it.
All of us have “donkeys” in our lives that God desires to use for His glory, yet He leaves the decision to make them available up to us. Can you think of something right now you would be hard-pressed to place in His hands?
Maybe your donkey is a possession—a house, a car, a family heirloom, clothing, financial resources, or even a favorite “toy.” As far as you’re concerned, it’s yours, and you will determine how, when, and where it is used. Perhaps your donkey is a position—you hold a measure of influence and use it to advance what you believe is right. Or maybe your donkey is your plans—you’ve mapped out your life, and you’re on course. Any detours, even God-ordained ones, feel like unwelcome interruptions.
Other donkeys might include your skills, your talents, or your time. The list is endless—different donkeys for different people. But the principle remains the same: we should not refuse God anything in our lives. After all, God can accomplish far more with our donkeys than we ever could on our own.
So let me ask you…are the doors of your heart locked, or are you willing to be donkey-jacked?