PASSAGE: Matt. 2:13-18 – “When they [the Magi] had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill Him,’
“So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my Son.’
“When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
“’A voice is heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
And refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.’”
LESSON: Isn’t it 'funny' that in this world so many believers have a tendency to doubt the miraculous?
It took the appearance of an angel to convince Joseph, no matter how much he loved young Mary, to believe that she was carrying the Lord’s Babe. But when he was later told in a divine dream that Herod was trying to kill his “Son,” Joseph had no doubt that Jesus, God’s Son, had come to earth and was in his care. He needed to be convinced of Immanuel’s coming.
Herod NEVER had any trouble believing. He knew about the star that had appeared nearly two years before; the news of the shepherds may have reached even to the throne of the great Herod and all he needed was confirmation from the Magi that the new King, indeed, had been born. Even though his heart was hard, he needed no convincing of the King’s arrival.
What about you? Do you need convinced that He has already come…has come as Immanuel: God with us? Or are you still waiting around with hardened heart, looking but not seeing? Look around you this Christmas season…the Light of the World is represented by the twinkling of lights displayed at nearly every house, by every CHIRSTmas tree’s high shining star and in the carols floating through the air. Whether it is intentional or not, whether the world realizes it or not…with each light that shines, each star that’s hung, each carol that’s sung…we ARE acknowledging the coming of The King!
Jesus has been revealed to the world…welcome Him in this CHRISTmas season!
Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><
Hi Kim,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting point about believers not believing in miracles. After all, the birth of Jesus, his death and resurrection, and salvation through Him were the greatest miracles of all! Sometimes I think God's people are 'blinded' and their hearts hardened by the traditions of man and the cares of this world.
Great post!
By the way, I really like your new pantry picture. Would it be alright if I 'grabbed' it?
Blessings,
Marsha
Hi Marsha. Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I think traditions, cares of the world & the mind-set that we must 'do something' to earn our salvation often get in the way...that 1 foot between the heart & the head can be a long road to travel, sometimes.
ReplyDeleteYou are more than welcome to grab the pantry pic...if was a Google find. :-)
Blessings from Ohio...Kim<><
You make a great point Kim! The lord is always doing the miraculous but we don't 'see' it.
ReplyDeleteI think Herod's reaction was one so common to many of us.
The threat of being 'de-throned' made him a believer real fast!! We all have the potential to be little herods trying to hang on to our personal kingdoms of dust.
Too often we are quick to believe the worst thing that could happen..rather than good news. We can be strange creatures at times, that's for sure! Hard of heart and slow to believe. Thank God for holy angels who delivered the really good news :-)
CHRIST has come - rejoice!!
blessings..Trish
Found you from Dianna's blog. I love the picture on your sidebar of "missing the days when.." So thankful for God's grace that gives us hearts to see and know the Savior!
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