The King We Didn’t Expect

 

They expected You to come as a military King

to rescue them from Roman oppression.

But You came as a Servant King, riding on a humble donkey.

Your mission was to rescue us 

from the sin and selfishness

that oppress our souls.

But we are still looking for a Saviour

to rescue us from the circumstances we are in,

but not the oppression within.

I am no different from them.

I quickly forget and, like Thomas, declare:

“I will never believe until I touch

His nail-pierced hands and side.”

Oh my soul, how quickly you forget

how humbly He entered my heart

as He entered Jerusalem on a lowly colt.

I celebrated and rejoiced when He came

and did miracles,

singing Hosanna in the highest,

“Blessed is He who comes

in the name of the Lord.”

But when the night came

and He submitted to the Father’s will,

I find it hard to surrender,

thinking it is mine.

Seeing God pierced and crushed and chastised,

I wonder, Where is His strength?

I forget that my sin on Him was laid,

that His blood and water

can purge me

of sin’s oppression within.

Yet still mocking and doubting, saying,

“Come down and save Yourself,”

not realizing that while on the cross

He is saving me.

He rose just as He promised

and went to meet the doubting one

and the denying one.

He came gently and invited Thomas to touch,

and when he did, he said,

“My Lord and my God.”

Jesus said,

“You believe because you see;

blessed are those who have not seen

and yet have believed.”

Soon after, He met Peter,

who, like me,

when comfortable, denied Him thrice.

Yet God’s steadfast love still pursued him.

Three times He asked,

“Do you love Me?”

“Yes, Lord, You know,” replied Peter.

“Feed My sheep,” was His reply.

Thank You for knowing when my heart

is wrestling with unbelief,

or when I deny You

in comfort.

Thank You that You still meet me.

You break these walls of doubt

and rush in.

Gentle yet powerful are You, Lord.

Unexpected and unexplainable are Your ways.

Yet You come to redeem

and rescue the weak and the frail,

and still fill them with Your Spirit

and send them with Your heart.

Restoring our relationship

not only to the Father

but to the image we were created in.

Help us yield and surrender

when it does not look like what we expected.

For Your thoughts are holy

and Your plans are higher,

that all may see Your glory.