Matthew 2:10
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Kings don’t know how to kneel. Others kneel before them. Others praise them, honor them, and bring gifts to them. If a king is humbled it normally means that he has been defeated. For a king to be humbled is to be debased.
In our devotional reading for today we have an example of one king who refused to kneel and others who longed to kneel. King Herod revolted at the idea of kneeling before a baby King. His reaction to the thought was to destroy this baby King who had seemed to be a divine challenge. The other kings had traveled long and far at great expense. They brought gifts fitting for a royal birthday party. They were urgent in their inquiries as they sought to kneel beside the cradle of the baby King.
Do we have a similar urgent desire to set aside our ambitions, to forfeit our dreams, to sacrifice our substance in order to have the privilege of kneeling before the King? Jesus seemed to refer to this level of commitment when He said, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23 )
Dr. Gayle Woods
Galatians 4:6
Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.â€
The idea of slavery is a concept that though understood is foreign to our experience. Total submission and commitment were demanded of a slave. A slave was property rather than a person. He was at the mercy of his master. He was completely disposable. If age, sickness, weakness, or disobedience became a source of irritation to the slave owner, the master would not hesitate to sell or take the life of his slave.
There have been cases, however, where slaves have been freed by their masters. Although it has not been a common occurrence, some have even been adopted into the master’s family. In the Roman culture if a slave was adopted it meant that he became a citizen, his debts were paid, his family alliance was changed, and he became an heir to the master’s wealth. He was no longer a slave. He was now a son.
This is what takes place when we are delivered from the slavery of sinfulness. We become a citizen of heaven, the judgment of sin against us is cancelled, our allegiances to our former life and associations are changed, and we become a joint heir with the Son of God. We are no longer slaves but children of God.
Dr. Gayle Woods
