Good morning DearHeart.

Years ago, dad was asked what his favorite tv show was. He said “the news”. We laughed because growing up it was true. We had to quiet down and ‘quit horsin’ around’ so he could hear it. I think his answer now would be “the History Channel” because the daily news is so bitter and the History Channel is always on unless his beloved A&M Aggies are playing.

We live in a different world. Often, the news causes me to switch to Scripture. This season I keep rereading the story of the birth of Jesus. And, the more I read it, the more, as a mom, I read the untold parts.

We concentrate on the manger, the birth, the star, the wise men, the gifts. But something occurred right after the wise men depart from the manger. Joseph is warned, through a dream, to flee with Mary & the baby, Jesus.  Joseph flees that very night.

“Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in & around Bethlehem who were two years old & under based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.” Matthew 2:16,17 NLT

That was the world that Jesus was born. Can we even begin to imagine the panic that set in? Little boys being taken from their homes, perhaps ripped from the very arms of their mothers who were trying to protect their little ones. Mourning filled that little town of Bethlehem.

The mass murdering of little boys.

And Jesus came to be light in the midst of that darkness. He came to be hope in the midst of hopelessness.

He came

& lived

& died

to be our Savior.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy & find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:15,16 NIV

He experienced all that we experience.

He KNOWS what it is like to doubt God,

to question His activity.

He KNOWS what it is to wonder if God has left us,

abandoned us

& left us to ourselves.

He KNOWS.

He KNOWS we are weak & frail & will be tempted with our questions about God in times like these. And He made a way. The way to make it through these times.

We approach the throne of grace with confidence.

We come to God with our doubts. With our questions. With our pain. With our grief. With our anger. With our fear.

We approach the throne of grace with confidence.

Why?

So that we may receive the grace & mercy to help us in our time of need.

Wake up.

Approach the throne.

Jesus.

Go.