Easter Devotional: Lay Down Your Cloak

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11, Matthew 16:24

  

Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God for the Son of David!
    Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
    Praise God in highest heaven!”

Matthew 21:8-9

We've all heard the old tale. Guy and girl are out on a date, walking down the street when they come up on a puddle. The gentleman takes his jacket off and lays it over the puddle so the lady can walk across without getting her feet wet. This seems silly, but when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, His people greeted him with the same gesture. Matthew 8 says "most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him." While I'm sure the streets of Jerusalem were dirty, I don't think Jesus's followers were concerned about him getting a little dirt on his feet. I believe that by laying down their garments, they were displaying their willingness to bring glory to their savior regardless of what it cost them.
 

 Jesus tells us in Matthew 16:24 that if we want to be His disciples, we must turn from our selfish ways and take up our crosses. Sometimes this means giving up our free time to minister to someone who's hurting. It may mean ditching habits that don't honor God's word or donating money to a worthy cause instead of buying something we don't need, but really want. It could mean risking your reputation to share your story and bring someone to salvation. Whatever it may be, Jesus doesn't call His disciples to stand clean and comfortable while He does all of the work. He calls us to join him in the trenches where souls are saved and Jesus is glorified. 

 Dear Lord, today I ask for your forgiveness for the times I have stood on the sidelines and left you to work alone. I pray that you would help me to fulfill your command to lay down my selfish desires so that I may bring glory to your name.
Amen 

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