"Once Upon a Donkey"

Once upon a donkey,

When Noah built his boat,

He led a donkey couple,

To give us all the hope,

 

That life would have a jackass,

And someday lots of mules,

But that’s a different story,

With a different set of rules.

 

The Bible says a prophet,

And a false one that’s for sure,

Was paid to curse God’s people,

With stuff hard to endure.

 

While riding his old donkey,

And angel blocked the way,

The prophet couldn’t see it,

But the donkey could okay.

 

Old Balaam beat his donkey,

But the jackass finally said,

Why do you keep beating me,

The prophet bowed his head.

 

Many decades later,

A taxing trip was made,

By Mary with her Joseph,

But they were not afraid.

 

Tradition draws the picture,

Of the woman riding strong,

On the back of an old donkey,

While Joseph walked along.

 

When the journey ended,

In Bethlehem so small,

She gave birth to a baby,

The Savior of us all.

 

And that little baby,

Grew up to be a man,

And when came time to give His life,

According to God’s plan,

 

He sent them for a donkey,

He rode him into town,

With lots of happy people,

And His fans all around.

 

But then the mob turned ugly,

His friends all ran away,

And Jesus nailed up to a cross,

Died for us that day.

 

Third day Jesus rose again,

He lives forever more,

From humble circumstances,

He rules from heaven’s shore.

 

And if a little donkey,

Has such a part to play,

In God’s redemptive story,

There’s hope for us today.

 

Once upon a donkey,

God’s big, sovereign plan,

God must love a jackass,

And every single man.

“God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world…” (1 John 4:9, NLT)

It’s all about love. It really and truly is the ultimate love story. God comes in through the world’s back door, through a trough in a barn in a nothing town in an obscure, insignificant country. Yet there, in the most humble of circumstances, God hunbled Himself and took on human, earthly limitations in order to show us His love. Look here, He says. Look at the lengths to which I will go to save you, heal you, redeem you, and set you free. I will use anything and everything to help you see it! It will be so obvious you can’t miss it. The Father sends the Son to show His eternal love. Such love is miraculous. See the love.

Lord, help us see how much You truly love us, in Jesus’ name.

Photo shared by a friend. Used by permission.

Brad McClain