Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 28 December 2021
Topic: Innocence Is Not Immunity
Read: Matthew 2:13-19 (NKJV)
13. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14. When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
15. and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
17. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18. “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping [for] her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.”
19. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 28 December 2021 MESSAGE
The Magi from the East came looking for the one born to be King of the Jews. Their inquiry caused the entire city to be gripped with fear. Even King Herod trembled for his throne. Through deceit, he tried to trick the wise men into leading him to where Jesus was born.
When he realised that they didn’t return to him, he became furious and ordered the killing of every baby boy in the vicinity of Bethlehem, believing that the new king would surely be among them. The sounds of wailing and lamentation, sobs and tears, filled the air. Thus the Innocents of Bethlehem were martyred by Herod’s fury. They died, but God saved the Christ-child.
It is interesting to note that in the fullness of time, Christ stood before another Herod and eventually shed His blood in an innocent suffering and death to save all mankind including the innocent children of Bethlehem. Jesus and the people at the first Christmas experienced trouble and sorrow at the hands of Herod; we, too, may experience sorrow, suffering or even death in this life. But the joy is that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ – not even death. Jesus is always victorious, and in Him we are victorious.
PRAYER: Lord. give me grace to be blameless even in times of adversity. Amen.
