As an old man with a noticeably strong nation, King David’s plan was for his son Solomon to be the successor to his throne. However, another one of his sons named Adonijah, who was good looking and popular among the people, had a different idea. Wanting desperately to be king, he gathered a group of nobles and said, “What if we have a coronation ceremony for me now?” Without delay, he assembled his brothers and family — everyone except Solomon and King David — and had a secret meeting in which he was crowned. As the people celebrated, they shouted “Hail the king, Adonijah,” but David, though elderly and sickly, was not amused. He crawled out of bed, grabbed Solomon, and put him on the back of a royal donkey headed towards Jerusalem. Now in those days, if a king came on a donkey, it meant that his reign would be peaceful, but if he came on a horse, it meant that it would be a time of war. That said, the king took his son across the Kidron Valley (the exact same path Jesus traveled on the day of His triumphal entry), marched him into the city, placed him on the throne, and crowned him, thus commencing what proved to be a very peaceful period in Jewish history. Yet as prosperous as Solomon’s kingdom was, it was nothing compared to that of the true King of Israel, who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to usher in a reign of spiritual peace during a period of worldly commotion and confusion. In spite of the political upheaval that surrounded Him, our Savior didn’t grab power or seek to take advantage of the crowd’s affection; He simply brought the Kingdom of Heaven to earth in quiet humility and crowned Himself the Prince of Peace. 

My friend, in these tumultuous times, there are many forces at work to steal your tranquility. While they constantly seek to ascend the throne of your heart with their claims, these self-serving voices do not need to prevail. As a child of God, you have unfettered access to Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace. No matter how difficult things look in the moment, you can invite the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father to reign in your life so you can live in the victory that comes from yielding to His Spirit’s rule. He is with you and for you, and His Kingdom offers an alternative to the strife and division that seem to be consuming our world today. Choose to follow His lead, keep Him enthroned in your heart, and you will enjoy bountiful blessings, both now and for all of eternity!