PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 2:13-18
“Rachel weeping for her children… because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:18)
The above picture is a Jewish school in the Netherlands.
The quote in the right box is Jeremiah 31:15, ‘the children are not here’.
This is a reference to the Jewish children sent to Nazi death camps to die.
Matthew links this verse to the birth of Jesus, when Herod kills all the boys of Bethlehem.
Through history humans have oppressed other humans, animals and creation.
Jesus’s birth does not cause this horror; He is born to deal with it.
He does not come as a warrior king, but as an innocent child and victim.
Jesus stands with all victims of this sin-cursed world; His victory is for them.
As Jesus followers, we are called to stand with the victims too, and not the victimizers.
Who is Rachel (Jacob’s wife, representing Israel/God) and Jesus weeping for today?
Immigrants, addicts, minorities, those with mental health issues, AIDS patients…?
Sadly through church history the church has joined in ignoring or hurting God’s children.
Yet many Jesus followers have stood with the victims (for example, Corrie Ten Boom).
Who is Jesus weeping for today; do we stand with them, against them, or just ignore them?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I face the same choice as people under Nazi Germany when it comes to victims of our sin-cursed world: stand with them, stand against them, or pretend its not my problem. You stood with them; help me to do the same!
I too need to stand with those less fortunate. I am not very good at it but keep trying every day.
In light of Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30, I think Jesus is also weeping for our Indigenous children who were victims of residential schools, and how that has carried through the generations ever since. May Jesus bring healing to them and to all those who suffer from racism, cultural genocide, etc.