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Out of Egypt

I Called My Son

A fresh take on the Christmas story, Gift Out of Africa is a must read for those who want to live their lives to the fullest. Gift Out of Africa takes readers on an inspirational journey from Christmas to the Ascension. It encourages readers to surrender their gifts to God, hone them with diligence and patience, and use them for God’s glory and honor now and forever.

Meditation 5: ‘Twas the Night After Christmas’: Caring for the Gift

The angel of the Lord said, “Arise, take the young child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

Very often when we read the Christmas story, we end it at Jesus’ birth, enjoy all the gifts we receive for His birthday, and then head for the New Year. We often forget that immediately after Jesus’ advent, His family faced a tremendous trial. Caring for Him required the full cooperation of both parents. Had the Lord asked Joseph to go to Egypt alone, there would have been no problem. He could have “roughed it” like a man. But he was told to “flee” with a “child” and the baby’s “mother.” The command almost seems contradictory. Even the escape itself is complicated. It is one matter to flee alone, but altogether another to “flee” with a post-partum woman and her newborn child. The woman has been weakened physically and emotionally by childbirth, the baby is likely to cry and bring attention to the great escape, and all are vulnerable to seen and unforeseen circumstances.

Joseph was commanded to take his wife and the Baby with him. The family traveled as a complete unit. He was not instructed to send Jesus alone or with His mother to live with Aunty for a while, but rather to flee with both to safety. The Lord wanted the family unit to be in tact physically to handle this particular trial. Obedient to the command of God, Joseph provided a spiritual covering for the Child and His mother.