I woke up in the middle of the night to this message of discernment. I was pondering on the gospel passage of the day before that revealed the surprising decision of the head of a young family, who suddenly packed up their luggage and fled for safety in a foreign land. Matthew 2:13 – 15
The Flight into Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
My surprise was that, should this be the defense tactics of an all powerful and mighty God. With all the fame of God’s strength, might and wondrous things done to various, kings, armies and nations, why would escaping through the back door be the best option for the Lord, in order to protect His own?
Secondly, I won’t have expected that the massacre of the many infants would have been avoided, by doing away with just one man, Herod. I bet, you must have had this thought as well.
My thoughts are not wrongly placed knowing that what happened to another Herod… in Acts 12: 20 – 24 was the instant judgment to show God’s might and protect his own.
Herod’s Violent Death
20 Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus [e]the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was [f]supplied with food by the king’s country.
21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and [g]died.
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
We can see that striking a man (Herod) dead in an instance would have been the simplest solution to take in the case of the Bethlehem saga…in Matthew 2 we read earlier, but only God knows why he chose to stay quiet and send Joseph and the young family to Egypt.
Well, God reveals to us in his word Isaiah 55: 8 – 9 that.. He is superlatively different from us.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
And this is the reason of this short reflection today. We may never know God’s intention, reason or method in performing an act or miracle. We may never know, and he is not obliged to tell us either. We are expected to obey! Once we have established that his ways or thoughts are different from ours, we need no explanation but to obey. So what word are you obeying? Are you discerning God’s mind?
This brings me to another point. Many men of God in the bible sought God’s face before they engaged in very important decisions in their lives or the lives of those entrusted to them. I have often wondered, why didn’t David Kill Saul (a sworn enemy of David, who attempted to kill David several times) when he had the chance to. (1 Samuel 24 & 26) You would recall that David was tagged, a man after God’s heart. Today I understand better. He had opportunities to kill Saul but it wasn’t what God wanted for David. And like Joseph, the peaceful route was initiated.
We may be experiencing similar situations in our lives today. Where and when we are expected to rain fire and brimstone, we avoid confrontation, we choose peace and quiet. Not because we do not have what it takes to destroy the other, but discernment has directed us otherwise.
As I round off this reflection, I would put up this important piece. We must seek the spirit of discernment. It is a gift from God and very much needed in the life of every Christian. Let us learn from Daniel, who despite in captivity, survived several Kings/Emperors and reigned as minister of the kingdoms. He was know for his discerning spirit. Daniel 5: 14.
14 I have heard of you, that the [i]Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
With this gift, of course we should be able to know the mind of God. Remember again, that this gift is only given to him/her who has shown much love for God and the ways of God as expressed in Daniel 10 : 12
12 Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
God give us the spirit of discernment because God has from the beginning, continuously seeks the friendship and fellowship of man; because God loves man. Think again, what was God doing in the garden in Genesis Chapter 3. God came to see Adam and even in the Garden; to fellowship with them.
13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
God wants us to come to him. God wants us to discern what pleases him, and do them. And if only we ask for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13) in other to better our relationship with God, God would give it to us. There is no better gift; there is no better relationship! Shalom!
Speechless!!!