Thursday, December 19

WHERE?

Micah 5:1-7

     Most of us know where Jesus was born–in Bethlehem.  But do we really know where this place is and what it is all about?  Bethlehem is a town in Judea.  It means house of bread.  From out of Bethlehem comes the bread of life, namely Jesus.  John 6:35 says, “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”  Jesus is telling us, that if we come to Him, He will provide for our every need, physically and spiritually.  When we are hungry, we have an empty spot in our stomach that needs to be filled.  If we eat, then we are satisfied, but only for a little while.  John 4:13-14 says, “Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.”  When we realize there’s an empty spot in our heart, and we admit that we are hungry, only Jesus can fill so that we are completely satisfied.  If we come and feast on His truth, He promises to fill us.

     In the book of Ruth, Naomi was in Moab with her husband and two sons because of a famine in their hometown of Bethlehem.  While in Moab, her husband and sons died.  She heard that the Lord had come to the aid of His people in Bethlehem, so she and one of her daughters-in-law went back to Bethlehem.  Ruth 1:6 says, “Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab how the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.”  The Lord provided the bread for His people in Bethlehem so that they wouldn’t starve.  Then Naomi and Ruth went to Bethlehem and Ruth married Boaz, and from that line Jesus was born. 

     Micah 5:2 says that the Messiah is to come from Bethlehem, so Mary and Joseph had to get up and go there in order for the prophesy of Jesus Christ’s birth to be fulfilled.  “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:4-7)

     The Lord’s Prayer says …”give us each day our daily bread”…  The Lord provides the food that we need everyday.  All we need to do is trust in Him and He will provide all the physical food, as well as the spiritual food, that we need.

     God is calling each and every one of us to come to Bethlehem and feast on Jesus everyday!  His Word provides the food we need that will always satisfy.  Jesus has so much that He wants to give us.  All we need to do is humbly come before Him and admit that we need to be filled and He will fill us!

~ Kimberly Frantz