But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel…And this One shall be peace.
Micah 5:2,5
It was last year about this time. I was driving and thinking, a rare moment alone in the car….trying to sort through the difference in my head between what was true and what was simply a product of my often over-active emotions. I was stuck in a dark place where the idea of the hope and joy of Christmas seemed to be an illusion at best. I had Christmas music on in the background and the second verse to this song struck me in particular.
How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
And in that moment alone in my car, the reality of Christmas and the hope of all believers seemed to connect for me like never before. Because there was a real day when a real baby was born in a real stable from a real woman. And He was a real human and a real King who came to bring real life. So I celebrate the day He was born to die so that I might have life. Not just life forever with Him, but life on this real day, in my car, in the midst of my emotional rut…He offers me the choice of death or life, conflict or peace, hope or despair. Without Christmas, there would be no choice…defeat would be my only option.
What a beautiful thing to celebrate the birth of a King who offers so much, who is so much…to remember that from that little town that wasn’t even big enough to be included among the clans of Judah would come One who is called Peace.
As I continued to drive, it began to seem as though she was singing about me and not a little town called Bethlehem. Small, insignificant… yet among the sometimes dark streets of my soul shines His everlasting light. He chooses to be born in me, to reside in the manger of my heart so that life and peace are made available to me in limitless supply.
You made me like that song now. I don’t think I’ve ever really listened to it. I guess I thought maybe they ran out of things to sing about Christmas and decided to sing about the town. I love how you compared it to you, to us. Off to download..
sister
that was an awesome post! -tyler
Amen!! Speak it!!
I just wanted you to know that I really love your blog! I’m here by way of the Pioneer Woman’s comment section on her latest post, and then I realised that we have mutual friends – Alisa & Karibeth.
By the way, I know how much it stinks to get a haircut that you do not enjoy… However, I think it looks great on you.
-Danielle
http://www.rmfo-blogs.com/danielle
As in the fall I try to decide my favorite color of leaves for that year, I also try to pick a favorite song. This song is actually my favorite for this Christmas song every year. I was listening to it just the other day thinking how I love how Christ doesn’t boast His entry, nor try to force us to choose Him. He came silently so long ago, and even now, He longs to enter in, but He will wait for us to be meek enough to need Him and choose Him.