Advent Symbol #1: The Donkey
How Christ Turns Our He-Haws into Hallelujahs
based on Matthew 21:1-9

The donkey is the perfect symbol for Advent, for the kind of king Jesus is, and for Christianity itself. While the world is living it up in December, in Advent we are spending more time praying, reading devotions, and going to church. While the world wants heroes who win every temporal war, Jesus is the One who was defeated by an empire. While most religions are about what we do to reach the next level, Christianity is about how low our God has stooped. Christianity is a donkey religion. it is a religion of a King who is defeated. Of a God who lets Himself be killed. Of an Almighty who gets overwhelmed to the point of grief and sweats drops of blood. Of One who raises the dead and yet cries at death. It is a religion of One who identifies with the poor and broken.
If we wish to reign with Christ, then we are called to set aside all claims to glory and follow in His way as He enters the city that will reject Him and kill Him, so that He could turn our he-haws into hallelujahs.