“Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star
appeared” (Matthew 7).

In paranoia, Herod wants to be rid of the threat. We live in a world filled with paranoid and
hostile people. The Lord has come to save us in spite of ourselves. We try to figure things out
and make them go the way we want. The Lord already knows how things will turn out and will
direct it such that all things will work together for good for those who come into the light of His
presence.

Lord, sometimes I too plot, but I do not consider it bad or wicked. The truth is, anything that is
not according to Your will is sin. Help me to focus upon living the life for which my Savior died
that I might be lifted up into a life like His. Who knows the exact time of anything except You,
Lord? Guide me to trust You who knows these things so that I may humbly walk in the faith You
have given me.

My Savior Jesus, born in the village of Bethlehem, bring me to You so that I may join the
Magi and worship You. You have gifted me with the gifts I have and called me through my
baptism to live into the life for which You have prepared me to live the right way by grace.
Always be the One who is the shining star for me to see and follow. Close my ears to the ones
who would lead me astray. Teach me humble faithfulness. Amen.

“They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the
prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of
Judah; For from you will come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel’”
(Matthew 2:5-6).

Read the rest of the prophecy. Born in Bethlehem to be a shepherd. A leader, but not a
commander. Oh, how this world messes these things up. He who is worthy of all honor and
praise is our friend. He comes to care for us and lead us. Gentle, yes, but also the One through
whom all things have their being. He is the Good Shepherd who leads those who know that He
prevails against sin, death, and the devil.

Lord, Your word is so rich and deep as it tells what will happen, just as it told those then what
would happen. In all of these things, we know that You have come to give us new life in You.
You have come to be the Good Shepherd of the souls who trust in You. According to Your grace
and mercy, open the eyes and ears of the faithful to see and hear these things and lead us into the
fold of Your bride, the church.

Good Shepherd of my soul, guide me along right paths this day that I would see Your hand
leading me. Keep me from wandering to the edges of the places which are safe so that I may
be nourished by You, the Bread of Life. You have given Your life so that we who are in need,
may be fed with the heavenly food. Thank You for granting grace and mercy so that I may
dwell forever in Your house. Amen.

“And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born” (Matthew 2:4).

In the Gospel, we have testimony that where Messiah was to be born was foretold ahead of time.  They knew it then.  How is it that some now say that these things were created to substantiate that Jesus is Messiah.  It’s been in Isaiah since he wrote it in the seventh century.  Messiah was born in the city of David, in Bethlehem, meaning “House of Bread.”  Jesus would tell us to take bread and remember.  Connect the two.

Jesus, everything means something.  The pretender king wanted to destroy You.  You are the Bread of Life who came to give that life to us.  You were born in the village of the House of Bread.  We tend to go about our business without thinking about what these things mean.  It all has significance and the greatest of all is that You, Jesus, have come to save our souls from the meaninglessness of this age.

Dear Lord, grant that this day I would be given the gift of being able to meditate upon these things which You have given me.  Lead me to walk in the light of Your countenance now and forever through the grace You have purchased from the cross.  You are the true manna which has come down from heaven to feed us the heavenly food that we may become as that which we consume.  Lead us in Your Holy and Triune Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

“When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matthew 2:3).

There’s a good “troubled” and there’s a bad “troubled.”  This is a bad troubled.  The idea of a real king taking the place of this imposter (Herod was not a Jew) was a part of the paranoia that caused him to have his own sons killed.  He did not want any threat to his throne, even though he would live only a couple years beyond the birth of Jesus.  Such is the wickedness of a mind fully corrupted by sin.  In sinful insanity, it is unable to reason.

The old Adam is corrupted by sin.  The old Adam dwells in us all.  Except for the grace of God, this could be you or me.  We too have our own paranoia.  The Lord has come to kill the old Adam and resurrect a child of God in the old Adam’s place.  This is the story of salvation and why Jesus has come.  What the world tries to destroy is the truth which cannot be destroyed.

Lord Jesus, the Light of the World, shine on me this day that all of the darkness of sin which is in me may be exposed.  Slay the sinner so that the one whom You redeem may rise, put Your cloak on, and walk as a child of the Light.  Lead me through these things so that I may become more like You, dear Jesus, and walk in the goodness of Your grace and mercy.  Lead as You will and help me to be a willing follower always.  Amen.

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:1).

In the mystery of how all things work, there were the watchers of stars who saw the signs, by all reckoning, they seemed to know what Scriptures said and came looking for the newborn king.  They came right to the paranoid king, Herod.  The world has never been able to receive the truth that we are not our own person, but were created by the Lord for His purpose.  A grand mystery with a simple message: will you follow the Lord?

Lord, I ponder over the greater things and I forget how simple it all is.  You have come to reconcile me to You.  You have come to slay the old Adam and replace it with a new life.  Lead me Lord to see the simplicity of the life of faith that You offer.  Strangers from a strange land understood, for they came to worship You.  Help me to understand so that I may come too and worship You.

Holy Trinity, You alone are to be praised and worshiped.  This world has many who scoff, run in fear, or try to distract from the truth of reality.  You alone are worthy of all of my honor and praise.  Lead me in worship and praise so that my life is one which worships You, who alone is worthy.  Shut my ears to Herod.  Open my ears to Your word.  In all things, lead me in true faith to learn how to be faithful.  Amen.

“And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he named Him Jesus” (Matthew 1:24-25).

Joseph awoke and believed.  He believed what the Lord told Him.  This is an example of genuine faith.  One of the most amazing stories, in fact, truly a one of a kind, and he believes.  We are told the overarching story and so many reject it in unbelief.  Will you be like the crowds who shouted to have Jesus put to death, or like Joseph who heard what the Lord said and believed?

Lord, I would like to be a person of Your making rather than simply be a part of the crowd.  Lead me in Your goodness to see through the pressures that are upon me in this age so that I may humbly walk with You in belief.  No matter how You speak to me, help me to listen and heed Your word.  You have said that I am saved by the blood of the lamb.  Help me to believe that and stop acting like I need to save myself.

Jesus, You paid the price for my sin, so there must be more.  Move me beyond trying to overcome my sins to the place where my character is being shaped by You, the author and finisher of my faith.  You have guided me in the past and You guide me now.  Lead me in Your grace to walk with You all the days of my life toward the goal of being like You, listening to the Holy Spirit, for the glory of the Father.  Amen.   

“Now all this took place so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:22-23).

The prophet Isaiah foretold these events centuries before they happened.  Modern skeptics want to dismiss Isaiah, but the oldest copy of Isaiah is still four hundred years before the birth of Jesus.  The Lord tells us everything we need to know.  He will come amidst a circumstance that can only happen because of Him.  He shall be called the name that tells us who He is, “God with us.”  It really cannot be said more succinctly.

Jesus, God with us, You have into our midst and You understand us better than we understand ourselves.  You have experienced the human life.  You spoke beforehand so that we could believe.  Why is it, then, that there are so many who do not believe? You have told us that, “As many as believe,” are they for whom You have come.  You are with us so that we can be with You.

Lord Jesus, You have come to create, sustain, and fulfill a relationship with all who come to You.  You must take the lead, for I am filled with unbelief.  You must save me, for I do not even know where to begin.  Lead me Lord in the way You have prepared so that I can be in You as You are in me, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, in the truth of Your salvation in order to be with You forever.  Amen.

“She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Joseph had a specific assignment. Marry Mary, be the father to the son whose name shall be “God’s Salvation,” which is what the name “Jesus” means in Hebrew.  God’s salvation shall save God’s people from their sins.  “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  Our Lord is purposeful with everything He does.  He has prepared the way for as many as believe to become children of the Heavenly Father.

Lord, amidst all the difficulties of this world, help me to believe in all of these things.  You are the Savior, and You have saved me from my sins.  Now that I have been given salvation, lead me into the journey of becoming like Christ.  I confess that I still sin and I am nowhere near to being like Christ, so there is much to be done in me.  This is where I need to live by faith, trusting that You have and will accomplish all that needs to be done.

Savior of the world, You died so that I can be a part of what You are accomplishing.  I only know part and You know all that needs to be done.  Strengthen my faith so that I will move as You lead.  Lead me to take the steps of Joseph and Mary, who’s story is filled with living by faith obediently.  Teach and lead me so that I may have this kind of faith.  Guide me in Your goodness to perceiver in faith to become holy even as You are Holy.  Amen.   

“But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20).

Will you listen to an angel of the Lord, or will you believe what you think is true?  Is this not the question we all face when choosing to believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered, died, was resurrected, and is coming again?  It takes a bold act to move into faith.  Some waffle and waver, or so it seems, but what about you?  Will you take that step into firm faith, stop asking questions that are not yet be answered and believe?

Lord, I know that my unbelief needs to be dealt with.  There are so many things that stop me short.  Yet, I do believe.  Help my feet to move into the territory of living by faith where, like Joseph, I do not fear, but move ahead even in the face of what seems absurd.  My wife is pregnant and still a virgin.  Let me become like Mary and say, “Be Thou done to me according to Thy will.”

Holy Trinity, in the grand mystery of life, there is still much I need to learn.  But what I know or do not know does not matter.  What matters is that You are leading me all the days of this life and toward the life to come.  In Your providence, guide me this day Holy Spirit to be conformed to You Jesus so that in all I do, I may do what is pleasing in Your sight Heavenly Father.  Help me to step out in faith in, through, and by and in Your Holy Name.  Amen.

“And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly” (Matthew 1:19).

What would you do in Joseph’s place?  In all seriousness, you would be heartbroken, feel betrayed, and unsure what to do.  In his time, he could have had Mary stoned for this perceived infidelity.  But he was a good man.  He did not want to exonerate himself, but he also wanted to do the legal and right thing.  He was going to do what had to be done quietly to minimize the damage.

How often are we in a situation such that it is lose-lose?  We seek to do what is right, but also, to minimize the damage.  It hurts and often taints what others think of us.  But Joseph was a good man.  No wonder the Lord chose him to be his step-father.  In the mystery of the Incarnation, never lose sight of the mystery surrounding all of our Lord’s choices in how things will unfold and with whom.

Lord Jesus, I would like to have character like Joseph where, even when I believe I have been egregiously wronged, I am willing to do the right thing quietly to minimize damage even to the party that I believe is wrong.  Help me to move in this direction so that I seek what is right and not what I feel ought to be done.  Move me beyond my feelings and into the place where I trust Your leading and the goodness You are pouring into me.  Amen.