Jesse Tree Devotional for December 17th

December 17

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Today’s reading Micah 5:2-5
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

Far from home and family and security, in a backwater town of Bethlehem, comes a ruler, not only of Israel, but, yea, One whose reign is to the very ends of the Earth—and time.

It is as the songwriter wrote: “O little Town of Bethlehem…our hopes and fears of all these years are held in thee tonight.” All of humanity, hinged on that one night in Bethlehem. We leave our burden of fears in a stable on a Bethlehem back street and return home light and full of hope—anchored, unwavering, iron-clad hope. We now “live securely”’ (Micah 5:4), because of He Who was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. O little town of Bethlehem is the birth town of He who came and changed everything—especially us.

Lord, You come to a hick town like Bethlehem out of a passion for the likes of me. The Hopes and Fears of all my years are held in Thee, Lord, ... always.