More to the Story
Christmas in the Old Testament
JESUS' BIRTH IN MICAH
"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(NIV)
This verse and the verses surrounding it come from the prophet Micah who lived as early as the 8th century BC. Amazing, isn’t it? How could this be? The biblical record of God’s healing a broken world contains so many ahead-of-time hints, prophecies and predictions.
This one is exacting beyond belief. All the Jewish leaders at the time of Jesus knew of this prophecy and expected that this is where the Messiah would come from. Even more interesting, to me at least, is that God used Caesar, the most powerful man on planet earth, as a pawn, causing him to call a census which got Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem just in time for Jesus to born there.
God is the Grand Weaver, who finds nothing, absolutely nothing in the all of creation, to be beyond his control or redemption.
PRAYER
Lord, I believe. I believe that you are the Grand Weaver. I believe that right now you are working out every detail of the universe, including every detail of my little world, for good. Though I may not see it now, yet I believe. Amen.”
Funny, I just had this play out for me yesterday. I had a very good friend share with me that she couldn't "buy the whole virgin birth thing". She referred to the things of the bible as 'stories'. She also disclosed that she didn't really like my sharing my faith with her.
ReplyDeleteThe verse "Always be ready to give a GENTLE answer for why you believe" flashed through my mind. Anyone who is close to me knows my thing is to articulate.
I responded to her only by what I felt in my heart. I could not explain 'faith'. I can't say this is how you get it, this is what needs to be done so do it. I could only share my personal journey with her (and in nano seconds to boot)
I have often tested myself by asking myself this very question, "why do I believe".
The Bible says that in the end times, many believers will give up their faith. I made a decision long ago that I will not give up on Jesus. It was a decision I made, not based on anything but God's grace and resolution.
How did I explain faith to my friend? I told her how Jesus was who I went to from an early age. How through all the disillusionment I experienced with 'churches', Jesus was faithful to allow me to feel His presence. How when I read His word, it enters me and changes me and brings Him so close to me, I don't need to doubt. I told her it is not what I believe but who I am (John 17).
My friend is 76 yrs old. I don't know where our friendship will go after this. I can only hope that I spoke truth.
Facts cannot produce faith. Experience cannot produce faith. Only God working in us, dwelling in us can take a beginning as small as a mustard seed and have it grow into an eternal bonding that nothing here, now or everafter can separate.