Father, as You are well aware, I have had some personal struggles recently. I am grateful that when I called out to You, You provided an extremely appropriate passage, with a song to accompany it to boot! All praise to the One who truly cares about me!
Matthew 4:12-17 (<<click here to read the passage)
As I sat here pondering this passage, Lord, I was curious to see where all these places were. I recognized their names, but I really didn’t know if they were close together or far apart.
After looking at one of the maps in the back of my Bible, I figured out that Judea is the region of Israel where Jerusalem and Bethlehem were. The wilderness where You were tempted was here as well. So, putting that all together, You probably had to travel approximately 45 miles to get to Galilee, where Nazareth and Capernaum were located. That’s about a 15-hour walk! But where You chose to center Your ministry was of extreme importance. Many important things would take place in Judea, but what would take place in Galilee would be equally important.
As is the case today, You are always in the right place at the right time. For the third time in four chapters, Matthew refers to a proclamation of the prophet Isaiah. Yes, it’s important to realize Your relocation fulfilled prophecy, but it also put You in a place where many people would need You on so many levels.
Lord, You go where You are needed. In Galilee, there were many Jews, but there were also many Gentiles. Isaiah refers to the people in this area as those “who sat in darkness” and “those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow.” For those with no true hope, Hope has come. For those in darkness, “a light has shined.”
Lord, I am aware of Your constant presence with me, and I humbly ask that You would shine brightly through me. In this land of darkness, where “death casts its shadow,” I yearn to be a beacon of Hope. Use me to touch the lives of those in my location. May I bring Hope. Amen.
(Oct 4th, Wed, 2017, 6:22 am)
May 15th, 2024, Wed, 10:18 am
