Gospel Reflections #189: God is the one who gives us hope in the midst of tragedy.

Matthew 2:18 (colloquial translation) "And the voice of great sorrow was heard at Ramah, crying out, "Rachel cried out for her children. Rachel lamented for her children."

After Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt, King Herod was furious when he learned that the doctors had deceived him, and in a fit of anger he had every single boy under the age of two in Bethlehem and the surrounding area mercilessly killed.

At this time, Matthew described Rachel, portrayed as the mother of the children of Israel, weeping for the descendants of Jacob who had been captured by Babylon.

The grief and pain of a mother whose child has been murdered would be unbearable.

But God does not stand idly by and watch such a situation. God is experiencing the same grief and pain as we are.

And God promises to eradicate evil. Jesus died on the cross to triumph over the world. God is the one who gives us hope in the midst of tragedy.

Revelation says, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. He promises that there will be no more death, no more sorrow, mourning, or hardship.

God is faithful to fulfill His plan.

And our response is to "believe and accept," to "persevere in hope," and to "rejoice in the fact that Jesus has already triumphed!

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This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, a devoted student of the Bible who passionately embraces the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on the Gospels as a way to reach out to others and spread the message of Jesus. We're sharing her message here so that you too can experience the joy that comes from the Gospel that has filled her heart.