“GRIPPED BY GREAT FEAR.” Luke 8:37.

When you read the Gospels, it’s easy to envy those who knew Jesus on earth. How amazing to sit with Him at the Last Supper, or pray with Him in the garden? Or to pass out miracle-food to 5,000 people? Or see Lazarus come out of the grave?

But it was not all sunshine and rainbows. As John Eldredge puts it, when Jesus entered humanity, He invaded a world at war.

Christmas was an INVASION, the most powerful foe the devil would ever face was born behind enemy lines.

And Satan wasted no time sending Herod’s soldiers to destroy the child—and every other boy child for good measure. (I wonder what Jesus thought about those deaths—the hundreds of grieving families, the classrooms with no male students, the young ladies with no men their age to court them…)

Read Revelation 12—the Bible’s alternative version of Christmas. “The woman’s child was snatched away from the dragon and there was war in heaven…” Revelation 12:5, 7.

As Simeon held the baby, he told Mary, “a sword will pierce even your own soul” Luke 2:35. Being His mother would be tough. It would not be sunshine and rainbows. In fact, she would watch her son die a horrible death.

Jesus would confront hypocrisy, upset the status quo, and make everyone freak out. In fact:

This Man children loved TERRIFIED adults.

• They were scared when they heard the Father say, “this is My beloved Son. Listen to Him.”
• Scared when He cast out demons.
• Scared when He commanded the wind and waves to be still.
• Scared when He came to the disciples walking on the sea.
• Scared when He told the paralytic to “take up your pallet and go home.”
• Scared when He raised the dead.
• Scared when He was transfigured with Moses and Elijah.
• Scared when He boldly announced to the torch-carrying crowd that He was Jesus, the One they had come to arrest.
• And scared when the tomb was empty.

Following Jesus is TOUGH. You will be challenged. Scared. Hurt. Exhausted. And why not? Jesus experienced these things—why shouldn’t we?

PRAY FOR COURAGE AND FAITH.

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