An Angel named Harold?
Merry Christmas!
Last time I talked about depression. This time I want to talk about Christmas. It may be in a way you've never heard before, so prepare for a surprise.
Most of us have heard the "Christmas Story", but how many of us have thought about the secret plan of God and all the restraint it took God to pull it off. He snuck a Savior into the world. He was so excited about it, but he couldn't tell anyone.
Well, he did tell some "Wise Men." He also went into the fields and let the angels tell the shepherds secretly.
The Wise Men were probably a little gullible. I mean, they went to a king to ask him where the New King was being born. Even if Herod had been a saint he would have been jealous or even felt threatened. Since Herod was not a saint he felt those things times one hundred. He was afraid and he was angry. So, he did what most people do when they are afraid or angry....he lied.
"Oh, please tell me when you find this king so I can celebrate his coming too" (NOT) lied Herod. You know in a good story where the bad guy starts looking for the good guy?...that's what happened. The next part is what I find so interesting.
I've heard the saying "the good of the many outweighs the good of the few." I think that must be true. You see, when Herod figured out that the Wise Men weren't coming back he created a plan. He knew when the Wise Men had seen the star, he consulted the Jewish historians and determined when and where "Christ" would be born. Imagine that....someone like a king with all his forces was afraid of a baby ....he believed! I never thought about that before. I mean, if Herod hadn't believed the Wise Men, he wouldn't have searched through historical records to find out if it was true and he certainly wouldn't have gone to the trouble to search out the date and place. If Herod knew that, why do so many people doubt? I don't know the answer to that question.
Herod took it so seriously that he had every baby boy murdered that was born between the time the Wise Men saw the star to the time they told him about it. Every two year old male was killed.... I can't imagine the grief. Do you know who I think grieved the most? Our Father God.
He came up with a plan so unbelievable that even the devil couldn't imagine it. I mean, even the Jewish people believe(d) that the Messiah would just "appear". Who knew he would come as a baby? I mean, babies are defenseless....who sends a baby in to win a war? God did.
So, God knew what Herod planned to do and made a way of escape for Jesus and his family. We often marvel at the gifts that the Wise men brought, "gold," "frankincense" and Myrrh". I've heard many preachers talk about how rich Joseph and Mary were at that time. Those gifts were not only expensive they were unavailable. The Wise Men brought them from a place called "a far". lol!
But seriously, these gifts were God's way of providing for the covert evacuation of Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Think about all of the security and planning God did to bring Jesus not only to the earth, but to save him from a murdering king?
I'm thinking that all those angels named "Harold"...Got cha! "Hark the Herald Angels sing"....Anyway, They had to be ecstatic about God's plan, but they couldn't tell everybody. Can you imagine the noise those shepherds woke up to when all of Heaven had to go way out into a field just to say "The Messiah is born!"
How many times did Jesus tell people "Don't tell anyone about the miracle I just performed." I mean seriously, who wouldn't tell?. Even though the secret was out and the Devil met Jesus face to face on a mountain top The Devil still thought he had a plan. You see, the end result of Jesus dying was to save us from our sins and redeem us to God. But the Devil thought God's plan was for Jesus to rule the world. He still doesn't get it. Jesus will rule the world but it will not be because the Devil handed it to him. Nope, he's taken it back rightfully by coming legally as a man into the world that one man gave to the Devil. Deep stuff.
So, this year, as we rejoice that Jesus made a sacrifice and came as a baby, helpless, defenseless and dependent, remember that he will come again in power, strength and might and the whole world will say, "It's Him!"
One last thought...I'd like to thank all those children that died at the hands of Herod for giving up their lives so that God's plan could go undetected. And ask this, "how willing am I to give up "my" life (selfish plans, purposes and pursuits) for Him so that the world "Through Him" might be saved?
To help children in crisis please go to :http://joyinthecause.org/ and donate. We can't save the children that died, but we can help those that are living.
Last time I talked about depression. This time I want to talk about Christmas. It may be in a way you've never heard before, so prepare for a surprise.
Most of us have heard the "Christmas Story", but how many of us have thought about the secret plan of God and all the restraint it took God to pull it off. He snuck a Savior into the world. He was so excited about it, but he couldn't tell anyone.
Well, he did tell some "Wise Men." He also went into the fields and let the angels tell the shepherds secretly.
The Wise Men were probably a little gullible. I mean, they went to a king to ask him where the New King was being born. Even if Herod had been a saint he would have been jealous or even felt threatened. Since Herod was not a saint he felt those things times one hundred. He was afraid and he was angry. So, he did what most people do when they are afraid or angry....he lied.
"Oh, please tell me when you find this king so I can celebrate his coming too" (NOT) lied Herod. You know in a good story where the bad guy starts looking for the good guy?...that's what happened. The next part is what I find so interesting.
I've heard the saying "the good of the many outweighs the good of the few." I think that must be true. You see, when Herod figured out that the Wise Men weren't coming back he created a plan. He knew when the Wise Men had seen the star, he consulted the Jewish historians and determined when and where "Christ" would be born. Imagine that....someone like a king with all his forces was afraid of a baby ....he believed! I never thought about that before. I mean, if Herod hadn't believed the Wise Men, he wouldn't have searched through historical records to find out if it was true and he certainly wouldn't have gone to the trouble to search out the date and place. If Herod knew that, why do so many people doubt? I don't know the answer to that question.
Herod took it so seriously that he had every baby boy murdered that was born between the time the Wise Men saw the star to the time they told him about it. Every two year old male was killed.... I can't imagine the grief. Do you know who I think grieved the most? Our Father God.
He came up with a plan so unbelievable that even the devil couldn't imagine it. I mean, even the Jewish people believe(d) that the Messiah would just "appear". Who knew he would come as a baby? I mean, babies are defenseless....who sends a baby in to win a war? God did.
So, God knew what Herod planned to do and made a way of escape for Jesus and his family. We often marvel at the gifts that the Wise men brought, "gold," "frankincense" and Myrrh". I've heard many preachers talk about how rich Joseph and Mary were at that time. Those gifts were not only expensive they were unavailable. The Wise Men brought them from a place called "a far". lol!
But seriously, these gifts were God's way of providing for the covert evacuation of Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Think about all of the security and planning God did to bring Jesus not only to the earth, but to save him from a murdering king?
I'm thinking that all those angels named "Harold"...Got cha! "Hark the Herald Angels sing"....Anyway, They had to be ecstatic about God's plan, but they couldn't tell everybody. Can you imagine the noise those shepherds woke up to when all of Heaven had to go way out into a field just to say "The Messiah is born!"
How many times did Jesus tell people "Don't tell anyone about the miracle I just performed." I mean seriously, who wouldn't tell?. Even though the secret was out and the Devil met Jesus face to face on a mountain top The Devil still thought he had a plan. You see, the end result of Jesus dying was to save us from our sins and redeem us to God. But the Devil thought God's plan was for Jesus to rule the world. He still doesn't get it. Jesus will rule the world but it will not be because the Devil handed it to him. Nope, he's taken it back rightfully by coming legally as a man into the world that one man gave to the Devil. Deep stuff.
So, this year, as we rejoice that Jesus made a sacrifice and came as a baby, helpless, defenseless and dependent, remember that he will come again in power, strength and might and the whole world will say, "It's Him!"
One last thought...I'd like to thank all those children that died at the hands of Herod for giving up their lives so that God's plan could go undetected. And ask this, "how willing am I to give up "my" life (selfish plans, purposes and pursuits) for Him so that the world "Through Him" might be saved?
To help children in crisis please go to :http://joyinthecause.org/ and donate. We can't save the children that died, but we can help those that are living.
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