Buried in the beauty and grace of the nativity story is a scene of terror. When a godless king becomes aware of a potential threat to his throne, he foolishly devises a plan to use the wise men as pawns to lead him to the child in need of elimination. But as the Psalmist notes, “The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations; He thwarts the plans of the peoples, (Psalm 33:10)” and through a warning to the wise men, God leads Joseph and his young family to safety in Egypt. When the proud king becomes aware of the deception, his response is rash and swift, resulting in a massacre in the town of Bethlehem and the neighboring communities.
It is impossible to imagine the terror and agony that pervaded the village that day at the hand of a ruthless Herod. Yet in the midst of this horrific narrative, this profound message resounds: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. This is precisely the kind of depravity that the advent of God was set to address. Most of us will assess this infanticide with a sense of astonishment at how someone could be so vile—so wicked. The reality is, however, we all possess an inherent despicability. When our sin, regardless of how trivially we view it, is exposed in the light of the holiness of God, we stand no more advantageously before God than a deplorable Herod.
We, like all of the Herod’s throughout history, are in desperate need of a savior to rescue us from the grave consequences of our depravity. By sparing his son as an infant, God would prepare a savior, and by refusing to spare his son as a man, God would provide a savior.
Starter Prayer:
Father,
I know there is much wickedness in my heart. It has been there from the moment I was conceived, and I know that apart from your grace in my life, my sin would rule me. Thank you for providing a savior to forgive me for and free me from my depravity. Thank you for not sparing your son, but offering him up for us all.
Amen.
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