God is in the Middle of the Mess (Matthew 2:13-23)

Matthew 2:13-23 continues the story of the Wise Men from earlier the chapter. They find themselves in the middle of a political assassination plot as the king they visit allows fear and power to dictate his decisions. He decides to eliminate all of the two-year-old-boys in Bethlehem, the city where Jesus was born. While that story transpires, God is writing a different story. In the night, an angel appears to Joseph to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt. After some time, and after Herod dies, an angel appears to tell him to return to the region of Judea. However, in a dream, God warned him to not go back to Bethlehem or Jerusalem but to settle in Nazareth. At every movement, God protected His promise to save humanity through Jesus. Despite many attempts to thwart Him, God was victorious in keeping young Jesus alive so that through his life, eventual death, and resurrection, anyone who trusts in Him would be saved. God was in the middle of the mess, because not only did He protect His promise - He worked in mighty ways like this before. At every movement in Matthew 2, God was careful to confirm that He would lead His people from slavery to freedom. God is also careful to guide our stories to shape us and make us more like Him.