Off With His Head!

For this devotional I am simply going to share with you what I think is one of the most shocking passages of Scripture. The facts are all in the story, so I don't need to give you any background. As you read this, just keep thinking that people don't like to be reminded of their sin. I once had a man who threatened to kill me because I had intervened in his drunken beatings of his wife. While he was sober, he made it clear to me to watch my back because someday something could accidentally happen to me. I told him that regardless of what could happen that I had taken action and was taking more action so that he could no longer beat his wife. He told me that we would see what would happen.

John 14:3-12 "Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, for John had been saying to him:"It is not lawful for you to have her." Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet. On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias, (Salome), danced for them and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist. The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted, and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John's disciples came and took his body and buried it.Then they went and told Jesus."

We don't share this passage often because it is so graphic and awful. I was reminded of this passage when my life was threatened, that I should be careful to not meddle in other people's sins. Well, I am still here and that man has remained distant. His ex-wife has remarried a wonderful Christian man and her oldest daughter just sent me a graduation notice from college. Sin is sin. The Truth is the truth. Whatever happens, those truths remain. Sin is sin and The Truth is the truth. Love and respect your husbands and wives. This is what God commands and desires. I sometimes wonder at the reaction of Jesus to the murder of His cousin who baptised Him.

In Him,
Pastor Fred

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