In a few days Advent will have begun! But today Christmas Advent calendars will begin to be opened and we will be enjoying a chocolate every day!
So I wanted this year to go on a journey with some special Christmas daily devotions. I hope they bless you and that God uses them to speak to you.
Day 1: Prophecy of Micah
“Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod.
2 ‘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.’
3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labour bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.
5 And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders,
6 who will rule[c] the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. He will deliver us from the Assyrians when they invade our land and march across our borders.
7 The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on man.
8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue.
9 Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.
10 ‘In that day,’ declares the Lord
Micah 5
The key message for today: Though the circumstances are difficult. Though your abilities seem inadequate. It is always who is inside you that is of importance. Greater is He that is in you than is in the world.
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
Bethlehem (whose name we have to use the region of Ephrathah for because there are other Bethlehem’s in order to determine which one we mean).
- You are not unique. There are others like you.
Well, not exactly like you, because you are small, weaker and more insignificant actually.
That was the description of But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah.
However, King David was born in your town.
I love this.
Maybe today you feel more like the description of Bethlehem Ephrathah. You believe you cannot influence the situation you are in. Life is a struggle.
Look back – See what God has done in previous years through you.
Bethlehem! … King David was born in your town!!
He was your ruler, strong, majestic, secure and great.
You may need to go back to a previous generation or it may be within your own personal history, but God is there to be found.
Believe again – It can happen again. God can come again.
Out of you will come for me one.
And not just one but The One!
The One who is everlasting, who is from of old, from ancient times, the One who is peace.
Live in the light of that fact
Thrive in the place you are – be like the “dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass” and don’t “wait for anyone or depend on man”. Do it now.
Live victoriously – “in the midst of many peoples” be a “lion among the beasts of the forest”
A new day will come – “in that day” is the Lord’s Day of miracles and moves that you cannot do yourself.
Look back, believe again and live in the light of that fact. Though it is tough at times who is inside you is of huge importance. Greater is He that is in you than is in the world. The King not just of David but of all kings is with you!
Missions Paul 