Daily Devotionals

Trouble Maker Week 2: Monday

 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” Matthew 2:14-15

Try as we might, even our best, most thought out plans are simply that: plans. We prepare perfectly and think through every possible detail, and our plans still may not come to be. The weather may change our plans, people may let us down, sickness may wreck our plans, and so many more things can affect our plans that are out of our control. But, of course, it is not the same with God, who is always in control. Scripture makes it clear that while our plans may fail, God’s plans never will. His plans will always come to be.

Matthew 2 tells us about a man who thought he could change God’s plan. King Herod was the king of Israel at the time of Jesus’ birth. He was extremely worried when wise men came to him, reporting that they saw a star symbolizing the “King of the Jews,” Jesus, had been born. He saw Jesus’ birth as a threat to his power. He quickly hatched a plan that was devastating to Bethlehem. He “sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance” (verse 16). Throughout all of this, Jesus was protected. Joseph was warned in a dream not to go back home but instead to Egypt because Herod was trying to kill him (verse 13). Because of this warning, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus stayed in Egypt until Herod died and then made their way back to Israel, where they ultimately settled in Nazareth (verses 14-15). Try as he might, Herod could not stop God’s plan. God’s plans will always triumph. 

May you find great comfort in the truth that nothing can stop God’s plan. He controls all things and works out all things for our good and His glory. Even in the most difficult circumstances, even when life is uncertain, He is always working, and we can be confident that no person or thing can ever stop His plan. Will you trust Him today?

Moving toward action

Aren’t you glad that we have a God who is in control and whose plans never fail? Take some time now to pray to Him. Tell Him you trust Him and thank Him that He is always in control and His plans will always come to pass. Ask Him for courage and boldness to trust Him as you go throughout your daily life.

Going Deeper

Matthew 2:1-23 (NLT)

"Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15 and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. 17 Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

18 “A cry was heard in Ramah—
weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted,
for they are dead.”

19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20 “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

21 So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. 22 But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. 23 So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”