Just Do It

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

JUST DO IT

Mark 11:1-7

11:1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'"  4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.

NIV

Two truths are within this passage which bears our attention. The first is that Jesus, being God, knows all things. He could foresee the colt tied up in the city, and he knew exactly what his disciples needed to do and say in order to bring this colt to him. Now of course we know why a colt, as in those days a conquering king who had won the battle over others would ride into the city on a large white stallion, signifying his important, his now rule and reign over this city. A king who road in the city on a colt showed grace and peace to the residence, that he comes in peace. That is a truth which is in the story, but we should also pay attention to the fact Jesus knew ahead of time what was to happen. He is not an ordinary man, he is not just a man, and he is in fact God in the flesh. The second truth we can see here is that no matter how strange his command may sound, we should obey without question. When he told his disciple to go into the city and what appears to be steal a colt, that is take it without asking the owner, they did not question, they did not ask Jesus why did they need to do that. They did not seek a further explanation, or try to figure out a better way, or suggest to Jesus that would not be right. They simply went into the city, found the colt as he told them they would and untied it to bring it to him. Sure those people asked what are you doing, but that also was just as Jesus had said what would happen. The only response needed was the one Jesus had told them. Our lives would truly be far better off if we did what Jesus asked us to and if questioned why we do what we do, simply response as Jesus has told us to, “The Lord needs it.” Now it is also true they were assured that the colt was only being borrowed and it would be returned, although we have to record of that event, we must assume Jesus had the colt returned after his entrance into the city. It would be total conjecture or assumption, but it would not be wrong to consider that upon returning the colt, Jesus repaid the owner handsomely in some way. The fact is no one can out give the Lord. So when the Lord tells us to do something, knowing he knows the future outcome of our obedience and that he is always seeing to our good, we should not overthink it, we should not try to figure out a better way, we should not even attempt to change the plan one bit, but we should simply do whatever he tells us to do. It may or may not make sense to us at the moment, but that does not matter, what matters is we do what he asks of us to do. As David told his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.” Simply said, Just do it.