“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 ….”
(Matthew 2:1-3 ESV)
I’m not surprised all Jerusalem was troubled. Herod was a dangerous man to live with, a murderer of his own family—someone who should never have been put in charge of a chicken coop, let alone a country full of vulnerable human beings. Living with Herod meant living on the edge all the time—when he was angry, nobody was safe. And so Jerusalem was full of fear.
There are other people like Herod even today—parents, bosses, spouses who are abusive. And some of us live with them, and worry every day about their moods.
If you are in a situation like this, please know it’s not what God wants for you. God loves you deeply—enough to die and to rise again for you!—and He wants you to live in safety, with the love and protection every human being should have. Ask Him for help, and for wisdom to find a way out. And seek people you trust to help you out of your situation. You didn’t cause your abuse, and you don’t deserve it. God wants you to be safe, and whole, and free.
We Pray: Lord, please help those who live with abuse, and rescue them. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* What harm does abuse do to the person who suffers it?
* What harm does it do to the abuser him- or herself?
* How can you help someone trying to escape a bad situation?
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on December 30, 2024
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights