Remembering the First Martyrs
Today’s Verses:
Matthew 2:18 ESV
“A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
On the church calendar today, we remember the Holy Innocents, the children killed by King Herod in his mad attempt to kill Jesus as a baby. The account of the Holy Innocents is one of the most somber in Scripture. These little ones, cruelly slain by King Herod in his paranoia to eliminate the Christ child, stand as a stark reminder of the brokenness of our sinful world. Their lives were cut short, yet their deaths were not meaningless.
Herod's actions reflect the evil and fear sin unleashes into the world. Yet, even in this darkness, God's sovereign plan shines through. The Holy Innocents witness the great truth that God works through suffering to accomplish His purposes. Though they died at the hands of a tyrant, they became the first martyrs for Christ, pointing to the greater deliverance that Jesus came to bring.
For us today, the story of the Holy Innocents may provoke deep questions about suffering and God's justice. Why does God allow such evil to occur? Why must the innocent suffer? While we may not fully understand God's ways, the Gospel assures us that God is not indifferent to suffering. In Christ, God Himself entered into our pain and sorrow, bearing the weight of sin and its consequences on the cross. His resurrection declares that death and evil do not have the final word.
The Holy Innocents remind us to trust in God's promises, even when we cannot see the whole picture. Their sacrifice points us to Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. In Christ, we hope for a day when every tear will be wiped away, and all things will be made new.
Prayers
A Prayer for Today:
Gracious Father, we remember the Holy Innocents who suffered because of Herod's cruelty. Though their lives were brief, You used them to point us to salvation in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to trust in Your sovereign plan, even when we face suffering and evil in this world. Strengthen our faith in Your promises, and keep us ever mindful of our hope in Christ. In His name, we pray. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
The photo above was licensed through Unsplash+