Herod knew that John was a righteous and holy man. He didn’t want to kill him, but he didn’t want to listen to him either. When John had told him it wasn’t lawful for him to marry his brother’s wife, then he knew John was speaking God’s truth. Sin is simply wanting what we want and then doing it. Herod thought he was controlling the situation. He did what he wanted and put John in prison. But Herod quickly lost control when he promised Herodias she could have whatever she wanted, which it turned out was John’s head. Against his better judgment, Herod followed through.
God allows us to make our choices in life, but like Herod, we have to live with the consequences of those choices. The good news is that God has provided wisdom in the Bible, strength through prayer, and the Holy Spirit to help us make good choices.
Holy God, thank you for your Word and for the Holy Spirit. Give us strength to make good choices. Amen. —