God’s New Year
“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.” (Matthew 2:13, 16 NIV). When Jesus was born, the rumors that a new king had been born began to spread. The reigning king was jealous, angry and threatened by this story. So much so that he ordered an atrocity of such proportions that we can not even comprehend it today. Christianity was born as more than the gift of salvation, it was and remains to this day as a threat to all who embrace personal power, greed and selfish ambition. In the years following his birth, Jesus grew into the perfect human reflection of God. He proved to those in his world and those who followed, that not only was it possible to lead a righteous life, but to do so in a totally selfless, serving and respectful manner.
These verses tell us something more too. The angel sent by God did not warn all those parents of newborn sons of Herod’s horrible intent and order, for these were the works of this world, not the work of God. God is concerned with our souls, much more than our bodies. This house we live in is not yet His house. Our eternal salvation is foremost in His thinking. All the children put at risk by Herod and others throughout history are treasured by God. “But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Luke 18:16 NIV). Before children are old enough to choose God, He has chosen them. Bad things do happen to good people in this world, but once in God’s Kingdom, all such things end. It is to be a “new year”, a new beginning, something to treasure always. In the spirit of God’s world, Happy New Year takes on a completely, different meaning. It isn’t just a hope either, it’s a promise which we can lean on if we lean on Him in this life. As we celebrate the coming of yet another new year, let’s do it in the spirit of God’s loving intent and blessings. Happy New Year.
JC Calkins with COMMON SENSE 4 UNCOMMON PEOPLE
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That’s what we’ve all been waiting for! Great posting!