My recent ponderings on Christmas
Christmas is soon. Less than one week away, in fact. The story of Jesus' birth really is remarkable. Think about it. The GOD OF THE UNIVERSE sent His son to us in the form of a baby. He selected Mary and Joseph to bare His son, a poor, lack-luster couple from Nazareth. His timing was such that Mary gave birth in the shed around back and Jesus' bed was the food-bowl for the nasty, farm animals. Our God certainly is a humble god.
I know we all know all those details of the Christmas story. But they really are incredible if you stop to think about it. But there is another part of the story, shortly after the birth, that I think we often forget.
As the Magi, or wise men, were traveling from the east in pursuit of the Star, King Herod stopped them and told them something along the lines of "Hey, if you find that 'King of the Jews' that you're looking for, come right back here and tell me." Herod knew Jesus was coming. People had been prophesying concerning him for the last several centuries. And he did not want his kingship to be threatened, so he planned to kill Him.
Thankfully, an angel from the Lord, intercepted the Magi and told them to stay away from Herod. They obeyed and took a different route home. But Herod found out, got pissed and issued a decree to kill all the baby boys in a certain vicinicity of Bethlehem under two years old. Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus escaped to Egypt in time and they stayed there until Herod died. And thus, the rest of gospels tell the rest of the story.
When I heard about the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, it reminded me of this story, especially with Christmas just around the corner. I am not saying these two events are connected or correlated, I'm just saying they are similar. I do not know the reasons why God allowed either of these tragedies to occur and I do not know what to say to help people heal after this. But this is one thing I do know: God used the child genocide of Jesus' time. I do not think He caused it, but He used it and it brought Him glory. Jesus didn't die. He prevailed. Hope prevailed. Love prevailed. And since God is neverchanging, we can certainly expect the same things to come from the Newtown tragedy. Maybe not the same exact things, but Hope will prevail. Love will prevail. And God will be glorified.
I know we all know all those details of the Christmas story. But they really are incredible if you stop to think about it. But there is another part of the story, shortly after the birth, that I think we often forget.
As the Magi, or wise men, were traveling from the east in pursuit of the Star, King Herod stopped them and told them something along the lines of "Hey, if you find that 'King of the Jews' that you're looking for, come right back here and tell me." Herod knew Jesus was coming. People had been prophesying concerning him for the last several centuries. And he did not want his kingship to be threatened, so he planned to kill Him.
Thankfully, an angel from the Lord, intercepted the Magi and told them to stay away from Herod. They obeyed and took a different route home. But Herod found out, got pissed and issued a decree to kill all the baby boys in a certain vicinicity of Bethlehem under two years old. Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus escaped to Egypt in time and they stayed there until Herod died. And thus, the rest of gospels tell the rest of the story.
When I heard about the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, it reminded me of this story, especially with Christmas just around the corner. I am not saying these two events are connected or correlated, I'm just saying they are similar. I do not know the reasons why God allowed either of these tragedies to occur and I do not know what to say to help people heal after this. But this is one thing I do know: God used the child genocide of Jesus' time. I do not think He caused it, but He used it and it brought Him glory. Jesus didn't die. He prevailed. Hope prevailed. Love prevailed. And since God is neverchanging, we can certainly expect the same things to come from the Newtown tragedy. Maybe not the same exact things, but Hope will prevail. Love will prevail. And God will be glorified.
Comments
Post a Comment