A Savior Born in Bethlehem

Micah 5:2-5

“2 But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live securely, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; 5 and he shall be the one of peace.”

On November 22, 1963, I was ten years old and sitting in a fifth grade classroom when we heard the news over the intercom that President Kennedy had been shot.  Then moments later, the school Principal came to our classroom door and whispered into the ear of our teacher.  With tears in her eyes, our teacher told us that the President was dead.  

For several weeks it seemed that the whole world was dark.  We saw Lee Harvey Oswald killed before our very eyes on TV.  We saw the riderless horse with boots turned backward in the stirrups.  We saw the First Lady in black with her children.  We saw two year old John John saluting his father’s casket as it passed by.  We saw the lighting of the eternal flame on the President's grave.

And we wondered, where is God?  Where is our hope?

The Jews during the time of Micah wondered the same thing.  Everywhere they looked, evil seemed to prosper.  Where was God?  Where was their hope?

Through the prophet Micah, God gave the people hope.  A savior was to be born in Bethlehem and the people of Israel would be his flock, he would feed them God’s words, and he would be the one of peace.

In a dark world, Christ is our hope.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)