Bethlehem

By: Mae Archila

Thursday, December 26, 2024

“And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel” Matthew 2:6

Every Christmas, God uses the story of Jesus birth to refresh my faith and reaffirm His promises. God’s incredible love sent a savior from heaven to a lowly manger, and He divinely placed it in Bethlehem. God chose this small, humble town to be the birthplace of the Ancient of Days. He didn't choose Jerusalem, the religious center, or Rome, the center of an empire. He didn't chose a city that was a center of philosophy or education either... He chose Bethlehem. God’s choice reminds us not to place our hope in religion, government, philosophy, or education. The hope for this world is only found in a person, and His name is Jesus Christ.

God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 1 Corinthians 1:28 (NLT)

In a way, Bethlehem symbolizes us. No matter how small and insignificant we feel, we're very important to God. He uses the insignificant in mighty ways and orchestrates every event by His divine providence. Christ followers celebrate the birth of Jesus because we owe Him our life. But never forget that our Savior was born in the humblest of towns, likely in a stable. Just like that stable, our lives and our hearts aren't spotless, but God still chose to live there! But remember this too, once God "moves in" to our heart, His presence makes us and our sins white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).

Stay humble, praise God, and thank Him for saving your life!