Matthew 2:1, "Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod." Romans 8:7, "The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so."

Think

"We all have a hint of Herod in our lives..." King Herod's reputation for control was legendary. He was constantly paranoid that his power was in jeopardy. He even had every male child age two and under in Bethlehem killed when he heard of the birth of a new king of the Jews. And yet Jesus survived to fulfill God's plan. It's amazing to think of the obstacles that were overcome for Jesus to come into this world and fulfill the many prophecies that He did. It's proof that God is in control and we are not. And yet so many times we fool ourselves into thinking we are in control. It's like we have just a hint enough of Herod in our lives to keep God at a distance. While we may not be in the habit of displaying paranoid tantrums to control our perceived power, we may be guilty of trying to call all the shots and run the show. We must realize something that Herod never did – we are not God. When we understand that God has our best interest in mind and when we surrender fully to Him, we will find peace and contentment.

Act

Click on "What's Your Next Step?" under the More tab of the FC App. Discover (or remind yourself) what it means to truly surrender.

Pray

Dear God, thank you for having Your best in mind for me. I admit that I allow that hint of Herod within me to call the shots and try to run the show at times. Help me to surrender to Your will for my life so that I can experience peace and contentment that only you can bring. In Jesus' name, amen!