[From Dec. 2, 2011]
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your King comes to you; triumphant & victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the Earth."
(Zechariah 9:9-10)
Normally this passage is read on Palm Sunday... announcing Jesus' entry into Jerusalem during the final week of his life. But I'm reading it during ADVENT. I'm trying to prepare my heart for Christmas - the coming of a Savior. In both seasons (Lent/Easter and Christmas), Jesus comes as a surprise to many. We like our heroes to be strong, bold, brave, confident, valiant, sure, aggressive, and uncompromising. Jesus has those qualities, sure... but not in the way we expect. He comes with humility to "command peace to the nations." Zechariah mentions this king as silencing the battle cry within Israel (Ephraim chariots and Jerusalem war-horses). Much of the work of the Messiah happens within us - not to our enemies. Are WE really ready to be changed this Christmas?
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