Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Micah 5:2 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.
SMALL IS BIG
"This is BIG!" announced a sale flyer in the newspaper. The ad went on and on promising massive savings with minimal exclusions. But have you noticed how often heavily hyped sales are disappointing, while the truly worthwhile ones are quietly passed along by word of mouth. They don't need huge fonts and glossy paper. The message speaks for itself.
Think of the greatest news of all, a Savior from the hopelessness and eternal death which sin brings into our lives. How was that announced? It began with a promise to our first parents of the Seed which would crush the serpent's head. The promise was passed down by believing parents to their children through the generations. The Lord expanded on it through the words of the prophets. He did not broadcast the message by a booming voice from heaven for all the world to hear. A delegation of angels did not dazzle people from one end of Israel to the other. And when the Savior arrived, even that moment was low key by the world's standards. Just a few shepherds heard the news and hurried off to a nondescript stable to see a very ordinary looking baby.
Yet in God's plan, small is big! The gospel message seems small and unimpressive to a world obsessed with the shiny, temporary things of this earth. But what could be more important or life-changing than to have God Himself enter His creation as true man to do for sinners what they could never do for themselves? What could be greater than God's love which moved Him to punish His Son with the death each of us deserves? What more compelling reason could there be to celebrate than to hear that through the Savior all is well between you and God? That is BIG!
As we approach Christmas Eve, let's remember that in God's eyes, small is big. The Lord who was born in such humble circumstances is the King of kings who will soon return in judgment. The prophet Micah wrote: "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" (Micah 5:2). We who are small in worldly importance are precious to the One who came to die for us. Our small, imperfect efforts at serving Him are counted as big when done in faith.
