Day 2
Genesis 2:18-4:16; Matthew 2:1-18; Psalm 2:1-12
Having read through the story of the fall and Cain and Able, I then discovered that the Gospel took us to the joy of Herod’s killing spree. A day of joyful readings, at least the Psalm wasn’t too woeful!
In terms of these difficult subjects, the soul survivor blog makes a good call about the freedom that is found when we place our lives in Christ’s hands. Although non-Christians say it is bondage to God and freedom away from God, the Genesis story and Herod’s story tell us of the slavery to insecurity, selfishness etc that exists when we turn away from God, and the subsequent freedom we find when we return to Christ. (That’s what Andy said anyway!!!)
One thing that jumped out at me was the power of Jesus to change things from such an early age. If we look at the first part of Matthew chapter 2 we see the response of Herod “and all Jerusalem with him” (v3). Jesus was in fact a toddler when the Magi came to visit, Matthew says around 2 years old (v16), but our minds are often swayed by images of the 3 wise men in the stable – never believe everything you see at the church nativity! Most of you know that our Samuel is just over 2 years old, about that same age as Jesus was then, and he does indeed have the power to cause chaos. But even a proud dad like me has to admit that he doesn’t have the power to disturb a whole city. But Jesus did. This 2 year old little boy, possibly not yet out of nappies, managed to disturb a tyrannical king and the whole of Jerusalem with him. If he can cause ripples like that as a wee lad just think about the waves he caused when he was on the cross.
This is the power of Christ that will work in us. We may feel that there is something that is taking a bit of a tyrannical reign over the rest of our lives, well when we allow that little child to step in, our lives are changed forever. The tyrants are disturbed, slavery to sin is broken and freedom in Christ is found.
Having read through the story of the fall and Cain and Able, I then discovered that the Gospel took us to the joy of Herod’s killing spree. A day of joyful readings, at least the Psalm wasn’t too woeful!
In terms of these difficult subjects, the soul survivor blog makes a good call about the freedom that is found when we place our lives in Christ’s hands. Although non-Christians say it is bondage to God and freedom away from God, the Genesis story and Herod’s story tell us of the slavery to insecurity, selfishness etc that exists when we turn away from God, and the subsequent freedom we find when we return to Christ. (That’s what Andy said anyway!!!)
One thing that jumped out at me was the power of Jesus to change things from such an early age. If we look at the first part of Matthew chapter 2 we see the response of Herod “and all Jerusalem with him” (v3). Jesus was in fact a toddler when the Magi came to visit, Matthew says around 2 years old (v16), but our minds are often swayed by images of the 3 wise men in the stable – never believe everything you see at the church nativity! Most of you know that our Samuel is just over 2 years old, about that same age as Jesus was then, and he does indeed have the power to cause chaos. But even a proud dad like me has to admit that he doesn’t have the power to disturb a whole city. But Jesus did. This 2 year old little boy, possibly not yet out of nappies, managed to disturb a tyrannical king and the whole of Jerusalem with him. If he can cause ripples like that as a wee lad just think about the waves he caused when he was on the cross.
This is the power of Christ that will work in us. We may feel that there is something that is taking a bit of a tyrannical reign over the rest of our lives, well when we allow that little child to step in, our lives are changed forever. The tyrants are disturbed, slavery to sin is broken and freedom in Christ is found.
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