Bethlehem, the hometown of Israel's greatest king, King David, was also prophesied to be the birthplace of the Messiah. This small town in Judah, whose name means house of bread, was an appropriate place for the Messiah, the bread of life, to enter the world. God chose a small town, home of one of Judah's smallest clans, to be center stage for one of the most important events in history. But the long awaited Messiah didn't seek fame or attention; he makes a humble entrance into his creation.
God often makes use of the least likely people and places to do the greatest work for him. Gideon's family was the weakest in Manasseh and Gideon the youngest in his family but God used him mightily. God used a young but faithful shepherd boy, David, to defeat the giant Goliath. Esther, an orphan among exiles in a foreign country, was used by God to save her people. Israel was a tiny, weak nation but God chose them as his special people and worked many miracles through them. God had a special purpose for Bethlehem even though it was a small, out of the way place.
How often do we feel like we are in unimportant places doing insignificant things? Yet God doesn't consider anyplace or anyone insignificant if they come to him humbly seeking to do his will. Throughout the Bible, God does amazing things with the small and the weak. Be mindful of God's will for you during the Christmas holidays. He may have something for your life that is valuable in his eyes even if the world doesn't find it important. Allow God to reign.
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Holy God, I extol you for you are powerful and full of grace. I thank you for using the humble and small to bring your glory into the world. Please help me to be your humble servant in whatever things, big or small, that you call me to do. To God be the glory! Amen.
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Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
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