David was tired.
He
had been walking all day, and for several days before that, rushing
to get to Jerusalem in time. Passover was in just a few days and
David needed time to get ready for the feast. Now he could almost see
the city walls. Just a few more minutes and he would be there!
As
he struggled up the path out of Bethany and started climbing the
Mount of Olives David thought about the upcoming festival. He was
meeting his family in the City, family he hadn’t seen for a long
time. Not since he had headed north to Tiberias in Galilee seeking to
find work. It was good to be back. Cresting the top he looked ahead
and had his first glimpse of Jerusalem. His heart soared. Soon he
could visit the Temple! He jingled the purse with the coins he would
use to buy a suitable lamb for his family to eat at the Passover
celebration.
Coming
down the path David came through Bethphage. He was almost there!
Suddenly
David realized that something special seemed to be happening. The
road was crowded but that was normal. Everyone was hurrying to
Jerusalem for Passover. No it was more than that. From behind him he
heard people singing and shouting. “Hosanna!” they were saying.
“Blessed is the one who comes in God’s name!.
David
stepped over to the edge of the road and stopped to catch his breath.
He looked back toward Bethphage to see what the noise was all about.
He
couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing!
There
was a man riding a donkey. As he approached people were tearing
branches off the trees and laying them on the road. Others were
taking their cloaks off and putting them on the road. It was almost
like they were making a carpet for the donkey to walk on. As the
donkey passed people were cheering and shouting, singing and dancing.
Why would they be doing that? What made this man so special?
Then
the man looked at David. Well maybe he was just looking in David’s
direction but David felt like the man was looking right at him. And
David’s heart started to beat faster. “Who is that?” he asked a
woman near him.
“Jesus,
the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee”, came the answer before the
woman joined in the singing and dancing and cheering.
David
had heard of this Jesus. Stories about him were being told all over
Tiberias. But David had never seen him in person. Some people said
Jesus was going to make everything right with the world. Some even
said he was the promised Messiah. Curious David stepped closer to the
road, peering intently at the man on the donkey.
The
man looked at David again. This time David was sure. Their eyes met
and locked together, just for a moment. But in that moment David
remembered.
He
had just been a boy. It was so long ago. They had been out in the
hills around Bethlehem, watching over the sheep. There had been an
angel. There was a new baby born. They had all run to see the baby.
David
remembered how he had felt that night. He remember the song the
baby’s mother had sung. He remembered how happy and hopeful he had
felt looking into the baby’s face. Could this man be that baby all
grown up?
David
looked closer. He looked at Jesus’ eyes. They were the same eyes he
has seen all those years ago. There was more worry there now. There
was a different glow in them. But the hope, the brightness was still
there. This WAS the baby he had seen so long ago. This WAS the baby
the angel had called the Messiah. Suddenly David could hear the angel
song again. He could hear the lullaby about God making everything
right, about the hungry being fed, about people in power being pushed
out of their fancy chairs and poor people lifted up, about God
remembering God’s promises. David’s heart felt like it was going
to jump out of his chest.
Overcome
with joy and hope David joined it the singing and dancing. His
tiredness disappeared and he danced his way into the city following
the donkey, following Jesus, the prophet from Galilee, the baby he
had seen so long ago.
