ONCE UPON A TIME, not too far from the Mount of Olives in Israel, there lived an elderly farmer and his small, little wife. Their names are unimportant, but what is important is the fact that they were a couple of great faith. The elderly farmer was not a handsome man, and his wife wasn't beautiful - nor were they rich (they barely eked out a living on the farm). They weren't really talented in any way either, but they trusted God with all their hearts.
Every morning the elderly farmer and his wife wouldrise up to begin their day and they'd pray, "Father God, wedon't have much, but what we do have is yours. Thank youfor lending it to us for one more day."
Over the years the elderly couple had seen hardshipscome and go, but they never let it deter them from thanking God for his daily provision - even after everyone in their respective families had died and left them all alone to fend for themselves.
To be quite truthful the elderly couple led a very quiet and seemingly insignificant life together, but they were content and, although they had few friends, everyone who lived near them knew, if they were ever in need, and the elderly couple could help them - they would.
One day some youngsters from Jerusalem snuck over to the elderly couple's homestead under cover of night and stole some of their livestock. The next morning, when they discovered what had been done, the elderly couple remained calm, and the elderly farmer said aloud (to no one in particular), "That which has been stolen from me will either be returned or replaced. We honor the Lord, and acknowledge that all that is on the earth is His. He has only lent us all that we have. He will provide for us when we are in need, and we will give freely to those who come in His name. " Then the elderly couple set out to begin their day, as they normally would have.
The boys who had stolen from the elderly couple heard all that had been said (they were hiding behind a nearby stable), and felt guilty immediately. They returned the farmer's animals the next night, and brought back even more than they had taken.
The elderly man praised God when he saw this the next day. He fell to his knees, and began to pray. "Father God," he said, "I thank you for all you have provided, and acknowledge that I not only appreciate but need your generosity. This may sound silly, but...Lord, if you ever need anything from me - anything at all - I will be most happy togive it to you without question. "
The elderly man felt funny when he said this prayer but knew - deep down inside - that this was exactly how he felt in his heart. He wanted desperately to return to God some of the generosity that he, himself, had been blessed with, lo these many years.
Not long before he said this prayer, the elderly man had been hearing rumors in town about a traveling teacher who had reportedly been performing signs and wonders, and preaching about the Kingdom of Heaven. This mysterious man's name was Ye'shua, and the elderly man had no real opinion about him. The elderly man had worshipped in the temple with his family all of his life, but had never really given much thought to traveling teachers or preachers, or wondered (like others) if the Messiah was about to come around the next bend. Perhaps this Ye'shua was the Messiah, perhaps not. He'd have to see him and hear him before he could make a determination, and even then he wasn't too sure of what would happen. The elderly man's sole goal in life was to please God, not worry about what others said or did. His wife felt exactly the same way.
Now, of all that the elderly farmer had in his care, his favorite thing was his young colt. The elderly farmer loved this colt, and sang to it every evening after dinner. The colt was very responsive to the elderly man's singing, and it tickled the elderly man dearly, because the colt would shut his eyes when the elderly man sang, as if he were really listening and appreciating what the elderly man was singing about.
Despite the fact that his young colt had been bred for riding, the elderly man refused to let anyone even try to ride his pet. Several folks from town mentioned that they'd like to try to break the beast because he truly was a magnificent looking animal, but whenever anyone got near the colt, it would kick and bray, and it let no one near him but the elderly man.
Finally, one fateful day, two strange men came dashing into the elderly farmer's yard, and they began to lead his beautiful colt away. He ran quickly over to them, and was prepared to confront them, when one of the men looked at him with great compassion and said in a quiet voice, "The Lord has need of him. "
The elderly farmer felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of his lungs. He said not a single word, but waved the men away, granting them permission with a gracious smile. From a distance, the elderly man followed the men with his colt and he watched silently as they brought it before a bearded man with a seamless robe. The intensity of the elderly farmer's curiosity was nearly overwhelming! He watched with astonishment as the bearded man touched the forehead of the young colt and, to the elderly man's surprise, the animal closed its eyes and seemed to smile - just as it always did when he would sing to it in the evenings.
The bearded man mounted the colt and, to the elderly man's further surprise, the colt did not kick or bray or fight the bearded stranger. Instead, it merely let the man ride as if it had been ridden many, many times before.
Suddenly the nearby roadway began to be filled with the shouts of young children and people of all ages crying out "Hosanna!" and "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!" They took up palm branches and began to wave them about with great excitement, and to run all around the bearded stranger and the farmer's young pet, cheering them on as they entered the city, and treating the stranger like visiting royalty. The elderly man watched this amazing processional with astonishment, and tears began to flow down his cheeks. He was certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that - finally - he had been able to present a gift to God Himself.
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"Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass." - Zechariah 9:9
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