WHERE ON EARTH IS SAFE?

Part of the Christmas story is hard to talk about.  A cute baby in the manger with the animals looks great in a nativity scene.  A crazy tyrant hunting down little kids, not so much.  Why did that have to happen?  If God could warn Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt, and warn the wise men not to go back to Herod, why couldn’t he just kill Herod and avoid the slaughter of  innocent children?

I don’t know.

It brings us to a bigger question – the story behind the story.  Why does God allow Satan to roam the earth like a lion looking for someone to devour?  Why doesn’t God just do away with him?

I don’t know.

Evidently, the kind world we live in is one where God allows humans and angels to make good or evil choices that have real consequences.  The story we are living in has an evil villain who hates God and has no respect for women and children.  He fights dirty.  He goes after the weak and kicks the ones that are down.  Sometimes it takes running and sometimes it takes fighting, but it’s never easy.  It wasn’t for Jesus and his family.  It won’t be for you or yours either.

So beware.  The spirit that inspired Herod’s murderous rampage is still coming to steal, kill and destroy.  Be on your guard.  Pay attention to your dreams and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Pray.  Resist.  We will overcome.  But it won’t be without casualties.  Jesus was born into a world at war. So were you.