Matthew 2:16–23

Be Still: Lord, still my heart in your presence today. Open my eyes to see you afresh and my ears to hear you speaking through your Word. Amen

Read: Matthew 2:16–23 

When Herod realised 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. (v16-17)

Encounter: This part of Matthew highlights one of the darkest points in the Christmas story. Herod’s rage instils fear, brings devastation and heartbreak - it’s hard to read. It feels like evil is winning.

It’s a sobering picture of what happens when human desire for power and control tries to interfere with the divine plan. Herod is driven by fear, and that fear leads to destruction. It’s human brokenness on full display.

‘Where is God in all of this?’  we ask when we look around and see injustice, violence, and suffering in the world, or when our own lives feel dark and uncertain.

Pain and suffering are never God’s will; his goodness will always prevail. Evil can cause devastation, but it cannot cancel God’s promise. Herod may have tried to humanly take control, but God was still at work. Through Joseph’s obedience, Jesus is kept safe, and the story of salvation continues. God works through ordinary people, through quiet faithfulness, to bring hope, redemption, and light into the darkest places.

This account is a powerful reminder that God’s sovereignty isn’t fragile. No human power, no act of evil, no moment of darkness can derail God's purposes. We don’t need to fear that the plans he has for us might fail - they never have, and they never will. Even in the darkest parts of the story, God is writing redemption.

Apply: Where, for you, does life feel dark, uncertain, or out of control? In the world around you? Or closer to home? Talk honestly to God. Ask him to remind you afresh that his goodness WILL prevail. Fix your eyes on him, thank him that even when we can’t see how he’s working, he is writing redemption. There is always hope. 

Devote: Lord, when the world feels heavy and it’s hard to see your hand at work, remind me that you are Good. When fear and chaos seem louder than hope, help me rest in the truth that your purposes will prevail. Even in the darkness, you are writing redemption.