God is With Us

Matthew 14:10-13

“10 and [Herod] had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. 13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.”

Herod had John the Baptist beheaded and delivered his head to his wife’s daughter.  John the Baptist, the first prophet in Israel in 400 years, died so that Herod could have his way with a woman.  

It may have seemed to John’s disciples that evil had won and that God was nowhere to be found.  But they did not know that, after they left John’s grave, it was to God incarnate that they told of John’s death, it was to God incarnate that they poured out their hearts.  And it was God incarnate that withdrew to a solitary place to mourn the loss of John.

God is with us; listening, rejoicing and mourning….. with us.

Emanuel.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)