Bethlehem

 

Today I received a piece called The First Christmas, by Ruth Bell Graham.  It was tucked into a Christmas card and sent with sincere wishes for me to take the time with my family to ponder Christ's birth and all that came about because of it.

Here are a few lines that stood out to me:

"I don't envy the people who lived in Bethlehem that night, even though many of them must have seen Jesus and Mary and Joseph with their own eyes.  For they couldn't have known all that they were seeing.  They couldn't know all that this Baby was born to do; the words of joy He would speak to an unhappy world.  The love He would show to people too used to hatred, the victory he would win over sin and sorrow of the world."

I don't envy them.  First of all, I'm a HUGE fan of indoor plumbing and modern conveniences.  I like things clean and prefer no visible insects in my life. 

Yet I can't help but wonder.  Would I have paused at the infant's first wailing cry? Would I have sensed something about the young mother cradling the child and being led down the street?  Would there have been a part of my heart saying, stop and turn toward him?

Do I do it now? Do I stop and turn toward Him? How am I different because of Him? Because of what I know about Him? 

How blessed we are that we do know why he came! We do know what he was born to do and what, or rather who, he died for- each and every one of us.  

The love he showed them he continues to offer us.  His guiding words of truth and joy continue to mark the way.  We have complete and instantaneous access to them.  But do we use them? Do we learn them? 

He has conquered death.  

He has paid for all of my sins and yours.  

Few of the people in Bethlehem understood then, and far too few understand today.  

But we know.  We know the good tidings of great joy.