Devotional for Friday, December 20th
Today's Bible Reading: Matthew 2:13-18
I don't want to end the Advent season on a downer, but today's Bible reading is really sad. (Don't worry, Monday and Tuesday's devotional will be more optimistic!) It's not a story that we usually associate with Christmas. It might seem better suited for another day and time. But I think it's vital that we look at it.
Herod thinks the Magi are going to come back and tell him where Jesus is. Remember, Herod is paranoid about losing power. He wants to end this problem of a baby king. (At this point, Herod is acting more like a "baby king" than Jesus!) The Magi know Herod has evil intentions, so they take the long way home to avoid him.
The Message version of the Bible says Herod "flew into a rage." We never make wise decisions when we're in a rage, do we? We never come home and say, "What a great day! I flew into a rage, and everything started falling nicely into place from there."
Herod decides to have all the baby boys in Bethlehem killed. This horrific event is referred to as the Slaughter of the Innocents. Yes, Herod thought this would be the most pragmatic way to have Jesus killed. But it was also an act of spite and anger. Matthew quotes the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah to capture the nation's sorrow:
A cry was heard in Ramah—
weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted,
for they are dead. (v. 18)
Rachel was Jacob's wife. (He was the guy who conned his father into giving him the blessing reserved for his brother Esau. God changed his name from Jacob to Israel after a wrestling match.) This verse gives us the image of Rachel weeping for all Israel's children. And all Israel wept along with her.
This story is a somber reminder that the world doesn't stop on Christmas. We can hang pretty lights, sing happy songs, and get each other thoughtful gifts. And we should make this season as joyful as possible. But the darkness of the world is still real at Christmas. Injustices still abound. People are still in need. Personal heartbreak still shows up.
Christmas in the real world isn't like a Hallmark movie. Not everything can be solved with another cookie and cup of hot chocolate. (I say that with nothing but love. I watched one last week with Kristin Chenoweth in it!)
So what do we do when Christmas brings us sad times? I think we recognize that it's okay to be sad. It's okay for God's people to weep along with Rachel. Weep for the injustices and the things that are not right with the world. Weep for the people not here with us this Christmas.
And it's also okay to celebrate. Celebrate that a light has come into the world, "and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4) Jesus shouldered the darkness so that evil and sorrow wouldn't get the final word. And now he invites us to be part of setting the world right.
Questions to Ponder:
Is there anything you are sad about this Christmas? Who is someone you trust that you can share your sadness with?
Is there anyone who you can be a light of encouragement to this Christmas?
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