“After Jesus had said this, he continued on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. Now when he approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ʻWhy are you untying it?ʼ just say, ʻThe Lord needs it.ʼ” So those who were sent ahead found it exactly as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.” Then they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt, and had Jesus get on it. As he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he approached the road leading down from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” But some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the very stones will cry out!” Luke 19:28-40

“Hold Your Horses”

The literal meaning of this phrase comes from the 1600’s — it is reported by some accounts that when someone broke a law they would trample them with horses. The person in charge would shout out “Hold your horses” while the law breaker was tied onto a piece of wood and placed upon the ground. Then the horses would come and trample him. This sounds just a little apocryphal. However, in Book 23 of the Iliad, Homer writes “Hold your horses!” when referring to Antilochus driving like a maniac in a chariot race. Another reference comes from the fact that during the noise of battle, a Roman soldier would hold his horses so they might now run away in fright. After the invention of gunpowder, the Chinese would have to hold their horses because of the noise. So, you get to choose which of these you might want to refer to when impressing your family at the Thanksgiving table.

As Jesus is approaching Jerusalem for his Triumphal Entry, what we refer to on Palm Sunday, he tells his disciples they will find a colt that has been set aside, seemingly by the Lord, for his use. As he enters Jerusalem, his disciples begin to shout — which makes me think Jesus may have had to hold onto his colt as he rode through the streets of Jerusalem.

Of course, hold your horses today is used when we are asking someone to slow down, whether it is while on a hike, or driving in traffic, or even just getting ready for school in the morning. Too often we tell Jesus to “hold the horses” when it comes to responding to our faith. And you know what — Jesus will. G-d will continue to nag us and prod us when it comes to a relationship with Jesus. G-d has all the time in the world — but we do not. So while we might be telling G-d to “hold your horses, Lord, I am not sure you should be calling me”, well, the Lord will just wait, patiently, until we are ready.

Pastor Dave

“When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, and they bowed down to the ground before him. He asked them how they were doing. Then he said, “Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?” “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” They bowed down in humility. When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his motherʼs son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother and was at the point of tears. So he went to his room and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, “Set out the food.” They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting to do so.) They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. He gave them portions of the food set before him, but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk.” Genesis 43:26-34

“Cool as a Cucumber”

This phrase may have originated from the fact that even in hot weather, the inside of cucumbers are approximately 20 degrees cooler than the outside air. Therefore, a person who stays cool, calm and relaxed in a difficult situation can be compared to a cucumber staying cool inside, even in hot weather!

As much as Joseph tried to remain “as cool as a cucumber” before his brothers, his emotions were beginning to get the best of him. He wanted to reveal his identity, but he was worried what Pharaoh would think — and he was probably afraid that his brothers would once again turn against him. But, in the end, the brothers reconcile and his family joins him in Egypt.

Who is it you need to reconcile with? Who in your life are you hoping will allow you to reconcile, but you are afraid how they will actually respond? If we always choose the easy path, we will never find the courage to make amends with all who deserve it — and those who need it. While we may not feel as “cool as a cucumber” inside, the Holy Spirit can give us the courage we need to make things right in our relationships with others. Daily doses of scripture, prayer and devotional attention will certainly help. No, we may not always feel as “cool as a cucumber”, but the power of the spirit can bring us peace.

Pastor Dave