Matthew 2:16-18
When Herod realized 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. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."
Each time I read this Scripture, I am greatly saddened. It is not that God cannot comfort, or that He is not willing to comfort, but that Rachel refused to be comforted. It is not that God cannot work, but that we are unwilling to receive His work. This is such a tragedy. We know that God's work is coming and can bring about healing, salvation, peace and joy. Yet people refuse to be comforted and miss much of God's work.
Isn't this something that happens to us? Why do we refuse to receive God's blessings? The main reason is because we do not understand God's will and God's work. When my daughter was young, someone gave her a jacket. I brought it to her, but she was not excited about it at all. When it got cold one day, and her other jacket was in the laundry, she reluctantly. Hence she refused to take it off even when she got home, and of course she did not want her old jacket back.
Brothers and sisters, aren't we like this sometimes? We refuse to allow God to work in our lives because we do not understand how God's work will bring about much beauty and blessing. We hold on to our old jacket, and refuse to allow God to put on a new one for us. The purpose of God's work in our lives is to make us more like our Savior, Jesus Christ - to have his gentleness, loving, wisdom and compassion. May we come before God and have a willing and humble heart so that His work may be accomplished in our lives.
Pray with Pastor Tong
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