A Christmas Devotion #9

Micah 5:2; "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity".

I have found that there is a common perception that ‘small’ often equals ‘worthless’. I disagree. I have learned both through text and experience that God is at work in the small things. Many of us can tell stories of when God has worked mightily in our lives. Not only in what we perceived to be the ‘big things’, but also in those ‘little things’ that we did not put much stock in at the time. Then, when we looked back, we realized that it was God's Hand that started the whole thing.

The bible is full of scripture that points out that God is in the details, and that something big usually has small humble beginnings. We are told not to despise the day of small things, we hear the parable of the mustard seed, that although regarded as meaningless amongst the seeds, when it is planted and grown it becomes greater than all the other herbs and grows branches to lodge the fowl of the air. Again we read, that if you are faithful in little, you will be faithful in much. This list could be endless. As you know Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophesies in His first coming and this one found in Micah 5:2 is one of my favourites. I come from a small town in England that if I were to mention the name, the majority of people (In England) would have no idea where it was or that it even existed, a town that housed no more than 30,000 people is a small place indeed. (Perhaps you come from a town not too dissimilar to mine) So, I relate to the mention of Bethlehem Ephrathah being too little to be even classed among the clans of Judah. Many people may have seen this as a 'nothing' city. Only when Christ was born in Bethlehem do we really see this small town come to the forefront of history. I doubt very much that we would be able to find a person in our circles that has never heard of a small town in Israel called Bethlehem. Such was the magnitude of the event that took place there, that the name Bethlehem will be forever remember at this time of year. I even find the name Bethlehem Ephrathah interesting. Bethlehem means "House of Bread" and Ephrathah means "Place of Fruitfulness". Wow! To come from a city that means that, now that is a place worthy of birthing the King of Kings.

So when you look at the workings of God in your own life, know that He is in the small things, know that you are in the Hands of One who comes from a 'Place of Fruitfulness'. Ask the Lord for the spiritual discernment to see when God is working in the details of your life so that you may know Hos ways better.

I will finish on something that my dad taught us as children, he said, "Big Doors open on Little Hinges". How true. If we simply scoff at what looks to be a 'little hinge' we might be overlooking the magnitude of the 'door' that God wants to open for us.

Never overlook those Small Hinges.