January 1 | Matthew 2:19-23

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DAILY READING

Matthew 2:19-23

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REFLECTION

The Rhyme of Time

By Katie Borden

Happy New Year, dearly beloved children of God!

Have you ever heard the phrase, “history doesn’t repeat itself… but it rhymes”? I’ve been pondering that phrase a bit this year as we turn the calendar from 2024 to 2025. I find myself wondering what newness is in store in these next 12 months. I also wonder what cycles will continue to repeat themselves, “rhyming” with what has come before. I wonder how the patterned threads of my life and our community’s life will weave together in the arc of the grand story of history. How will I see the rhymes and rhythms of time play out this year? How do I bring my hopes and fears of all of it before God?

The Bible is so brilliant in how it weaves together the rhyming history of God and his saving work among his people, and I think today’s passage may offer some guidance and comfort as we ask ourselves these kinds of questions at the start of this year.

The holy family, living in Egypt as refugees after Herod’s threat to the little infant life of Jesus, is preparing to return to Israel. This may have felt simultaneously new (the circumstances have changed, the location may be different), and like a return to the familiar land of their people (with, interestingly enough, a “new” ruler who is of the same line as Herod). I’m imagining that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were feeling history rhyme.

But if we zoom out even further, we can see that God was rhyming history on a macro scale, as well. Jesus’ story echoes the account of another name in Israel’s history–one who also lived in Egypt, fled threats on his life, and returned to eventually lead the people out of bondage. Matthew tells the story of Jesus and highlights these moments of his early years in order to  bring to mind the rhyming history of Moses. God is leading and guiding the holy family’s story in such a way that we understand Jesus as the true Moses–Jesus is the one who leads his people out of spiritual bondage and into the fullness of the eternal kind of life. It was certainly not in the way people may have expected their Messiah to come, and Jesus’ way still flies in the face of the values that our world holds dear, but God brilliantly weaves the threads of history into a beautiful arc of salvation, redemption, and restoration. 

So whether you are feeling like this day is full of hope, or full of fear, or full of the same-old same-old, look forward with hope to the God who is rhyming all of our days together to bring about the day in which all will be made new and all will be well. Thanks be to God.

PRAYER

God, thank you that you are the one who holds all of history, and that you will continue to work in this world--and us--until that day in which all will be well and we will know you fully. Help us to trust in the rhyming of our seasons as evidence of your work in our lives, and help us to live in hopeful anticipation of that day when you bring all to completion.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KATIE BORDEN

I’m a lifelong member of UALC and have had the privilege of serving our community in both volunteer and staff roles over the years. I love learning, OSU football, good conversations, chocolate croissants, laughter, and sharing about the good news of Jesus in whatever capacity I can.

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