It Is Christmas: The Journey of the NativitySample

Day 9: King Herod – The Choice Between Fear and Faith
Reading: Matthew 2:3-8, 16

While the Magi traveled great distances in search of the Savior, King Herod was tormented by fear. The news of a "King of the Jews" born in Bethlehem shook him deeply. He did not see Jesus as a Messiah to be worshiped but as a threat to his power. His response was grim: deceit, manipulation, and ultimately, a brutal order to eliminate any potential rival.

Herod represents those who refuse to relinquish control. He tried to preserve his rule by force but lost the greatest gift he could have received: the chance to know the Savior of the world. As C.S. Lewis observed: “Pride makes us prisoners of ourselves, while faith sets us free to trust in something greater.”

This story confronts us with a choice we all face: to submit to Jesus as King or to try to maintain control of our lives. Tim Keller explains: “The essence of sin is building our identity outside of God, trying to be our own masters.” Herod chose fear because his heart was not ready to recognize Jesus as the true King.

How often do we do the same? The fear of losing status, control, or comfort can lead us to resist what God is doing in our lives. But Christmas reminds us that Jesus did not come to threaten our lives but to transform them. He is not a tyrant King who demands from us for His benefit but a Savior who gives everything to redeem us.

When we choose faith over fear, we find peace and purpose. As John Stott wrote: “Faith is the hand that reaches out to accept God’s gift. It is through faith that we allow Him to reign in our lives.”

Christmas is an invitation to surrender—not a surrender that diminishes us, but one that sets us free to live fully under the rule of a loving and worthy King.

Prayer:
“Lord, help me not to let fear keep me from worshiping You. Teach me to trust Your plan and to surrender all that I am to You. May I recognize in Jesus the King who transforms my life for Your purpose and glory. Amen.”