The Donkey and the Different King

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Psalms 145:1-2 — I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.

The road into Jerusalem is loud that day.

Dust rises beneath sandals. Palm branches wave in the air. People shout over each other, adrenaline and hope mixing into something electric. Word has spread fast—Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. A man who had been buried. Four days gone. Now alive.

If He can call a dead man out of a tomb, surely He can overthrow Rome.

The crowd knows what kind of king they want. A warrior. A conqueror. Someone to flex power and fix everything immediately. Their voices swell as He approaches the city gates.

They line the road with palm branches. They shout. They wave. This has to be it.

But He isn’t riding a warhorse. He’s riding a donkey.

It doesn’t fit the script. Still, he raised the dead. “Hosannah in the highest,” they shout.

But Jesus knows exactly what kind of king He is.

And whether the crowd understood it or not, He was still worthy of their praise that day—and every day after.

His power is real—He just refuses to wield it the way they expect. His victory will come through surrender, through sacrifice, through a rugged cross waiting just beyond the city walls.

Palm Sunday exposes something in every heart: we are quick to trust God when everything goes according to our plans. But Jesus is still king when life doesn’t unfold the way we imagined.

So praise Him for who He is, not just for what you hoped He would do. Exalt Him in the middle of unfinished business. Everyday and forever. The King who rode into Jerusalem lowly and humble is still reigning. Still powerful. Still good.

And He’s still saving the day.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When is it hardest for you to praise God—when things are uncertain, delayed, or not going your way?
  • Have you ever had expectations of God that didn’t match how He actually worked in your life?
  • What does it look like to praise God for who He is, not just for what He does?
  • How can you build a daily rhythm of praise, even in seasons of “unfinished business”?
  • Where might God be inviting you to trust His way—even when it doesn’t fit your expectations?
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