Friends' Favorite - Connecting

You are to redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you don’t redeem it, you are to break its neck. 

Exodus 13:13a ISV

When they came near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples on ahead and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied up and a colt with it. Untie them, and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and that person will send them at once.”   

Matthew 21:1-3 ISV

If you know me, you know that one of my most favorite stories in the Bible is in Numbers 22, where the donkey speaks to the prophet... because for me, it is a story of hope. If God will use a donkey to talk to a prophet, He can even use me to talk to you. J

Back to our Scripture passages, I find it most telling that a donkey had to be redeemed with a lamb or have its neck broken, and later, that the Lamb of God rode a donkey for His Triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Sometimes, I'm a little slow in connecting the obvious, but this one got my attention. 

You know, there are all kinds of history and background information  on donkeys, and especially how differently they were perceived in Christ's day compared to now. However, I'm no expert, and I'll leave you to do your own study on that, if you like. 

The fact remains, the beast of burden was considered unclean and had to be redeemed with a lamb to be able to live. Does that story sound familiar? Are you making the connection?

Prayer:

Father,

          I love how You waste absolutely nothing. Help us to connect everything to the threads of love that You weave so beautifully throughout the Bible. Give us understanding, O God! We want to know You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen