Just as He Told Them

And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. (Luke 19:28-35)

Jesus was about to make His triumphal entry and even still, He took the opportunity to allow His disciples to be taught and used for His glory and demonstrating the sovereignty of God.

Jesus didn’t tell His disciples to go find a colt for Him, He told them where to go, when to go, and even gave them instructions on how to respond to questions that would arise from them obeying Him. And this one verse, verse 32, shows us yet another example of God’s Word never failing to come to pass: So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. (Luke 19:32)

Jesus called two of His disciples to do something, guided and equipped them in it, it came to pass just as Jesus said it would, and they were effective in serving Jesus.

Imagine being in the shoes of those two disciples. Jesus has just told them where to go find a colt, to untie it, and bring it to Him. That very well may have brought up a fear, anxiety, or an uncomfortable feeling in the disciples at the thought of the colt owner confronting them. They may have even questioned to themselves, “What if I give the answer Jesus tells me and there’s still an issue?” All valid thoughts, but the reality of it is this: if any thoughts had crippled those disciples from walking in the work Jesus had sent them to do, they would have simply been disobedient.

We can get sometimes get stuck in our minds playing all the “what if” scenarios and assuming how things may turn out, but in reality we don’t know the future, only God does. If God is calling us to do something, we should choose not to overthink things and simply obey. That’s obviously easier said than done, but when we make it a practice and habit to not spend large amounts of time thinking on the same things over and over, basically ruminating on the things we can’t control or change, then we can better operate in choosing to set those thoughts down and let them go and simply operate in what we do know and trust: God and His word.

We read time and time again in Scripture how God’s Word never fails and about the incredible sovereignty of our great and mighty God, and we undoubtedly experience this in our personal lives too. So why ever fear, doubt, and waste any time thinking about “what if” possibilities when God tells us to do something?

God is good, faithful, sovereign, and true, and we can have complete faith and security in Him. If God calls us to do something, it’s up to Him to guide and provide that way and it’s up to us to trust Him and walk in obedience. Be encouraged, my friend - when God tells you to do something, walk confidently in obedience, watch Him work, be amazed by Him, and give Him the glory and praise for it.