FRIDAY 24th
Micah 5:2
NIV (v2) ‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.’
ESV (v) ‘But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.’
Today I have chosen ‘O little town of Bethlehem’
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see Thee lie
Above Thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in Thee tonight
For Christ is born of Mary
And, gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the Holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on earth
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven
No ear may hear His coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive Him
Still the dear Christ enters in
O Holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
I like how verse three of this carol says, ‘How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given’, it would seem that in all of the rush and the hustle and bustle that would have been going on in Bethlehem that night, as couples and families came to register in the census, perhaps having parties and catching up as they may not have met together for a while, God was at work, not out in the public square, not on some stage set up for all to see, but in the space that was provided for the donkeys or the sheep, a stable, maybe set back from everyone and everything else, and in that setting, the humblest setting of all, the eternal Son of God arrived and was placed in a manger. But it wasn’t quite so silent a few miles outside the city, for to some humble shepherds sat out in the fields watching their flocks, a tremendous sight appeared in the heavens as the angel of the Lord appeared and broadcast the news to them concerning what had happened that night in the city of David. I wonder how long it took the locals to discover perhaps by word of mouth concerning what had happened? Was it kept under wraps (or at least in swaddling clothes!) until after the shepherds had been? Whatever, there is one thing for sure that after the shepherds had been it says that they went away and made known what was told them concerning this child.
May we also be willing to make known concerning the Christ child born in Bethlehem, he came silently, the Scripture says he went to the cross silently as well, but when he comes back again it will not be silent, for there is going to be the blast of a trumpet and the shout of the voice of the arch-angel, the sounds signalling the end of the day of grace, as he calls his people to be with himself. While it is still the day of grace, a time of opportunity, let’s share the good news that Christ the Saviour has come.
Ironically the manger where they laid him, would have been where the food would be placed for the animals to eat, but on this occasion, it was the One who would later call himself the Living Bread being placed in the manger, the One from whom we would be fed, and he had come to satisfy the hunger and the thirsting of our souls.
Where are you today regarding a relationship with the true and living God and with his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. This carol says in verse 4 ‘descend to us today, cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today’, you can know what it is for the Lord Jesus Christ to enter into your life, as silently as he came to Bethlehem, today he can come and make his home in your life, as you repent as the Scripture says of your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and allow him to become your Saviour and Lord.