Spiritual Forces of Evil Surprised and Defeated {Christmas Meditation #1}

The agents of an ancient, wicked ruler entered her house. There stood her toddler son looking to her for care, love and protection. The agents grievously took his life in his mother’s sight. Her heart could only well up in uncontrollable sorrow and grief. Why did an evil king in a furious desire to retain power bring this about? There was no rebellion against the king in her son. She could not be comforted. This story was repeated scores of times in the town of Bethlehem and its region some 2000 years ago (see Matthew 2).

One little boy had barely escaped and was now with his parents in a foreign land. Nobody at this point understood the plan that God was unfolding through the maze of this evil world. But indeed a plan there was. A mysterious plan. A plan that would catch the spiritual forces of evil by surprise and defeat them. And the plan rested in the life of that little boy who had barely escaped. It was not his time to be brutally killed…but that time would come. It would come after a life lived perfectly and a ministry of miracles and the display of God’s glory. That little boy was unique. He was God come in the flesh. He was Immanuel, God with us. The climax of His mission on earth came at the cross. He had the capacity to take on the punishment for the sins of all people of all time, and in love, He chose to do it. He died on the cross for any and all who would place their trust in Him as their Savior and their Lord.

The Apostle Paul, addressing people of faith, speaks of the transaction that occurred at the cross in Colossians 2:13-14. “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” This little refugee boy who had escaped brutality in early life brought about the plan of God, a plan that addressed directly the sinfulness of man, our sinfulness.

The death He died makes us alive. The plan He accomplished brought hope for all, including those grieving mothers some 2000 years ago. Grief is not the end of the story. The end of the story is salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Marty currently serves on the Chaplain team of Skyword ministries at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and resides with his wife in the suburbs of Chicago.

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