“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.”
(Matthew 2:1-4 ESV)
King Herod wasn’t happy. He knew that whoever the wise men were looking for, it wasn’t one of his own children or grandchildren; no, this was a future rival for his throne, possibly the Messiah Himself. And his first impulse was to get rid of Him.
No wonder Jerusalem was troubled! They knew Herod’s temper. They knew he was paranoid and had a history of murder. A man who killed his own wife and children when he thought they were plotting against him—who could feel safe around him?
And there was the baby Jesus, just a few miles down the road.
God understands danger. He understands abuse and violence—and the fear that comes from living in the shadow of it, day after day. If this is your situation, God cares deeply for you. He loves you, and He came into this world, your world, to rescue you. Call out to Him for help. Cry to Him when you are afraid. He loves you enough to die for you—and He has all power, even over death itself. He can help.
We Pray: Dear Lord, have mercy on us who are afraid. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* Have you been touched by fear in your life?
* Does God ever agree with abuse?
* Where can people who are afraid find help? What resources do you know of?
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on January 1, 2024
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights