By JoAnne Geiger
On-Air, United States 6-10pm
Matthew 2:4-6
When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”
Devotional:
Bethlehem. Interestingly, I live in Bethlehem…Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the USA. The Moravians who settled this town, named it Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. Bethlehem actually means ‘the house of bread’. In those days, Bethlehem became the place to go for food and grain.
In the time of Jesus, Bethlehem also was an area rich with a variety of grains and many people came there to purchase or barter for grain.
Once again the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth is spot on. Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem, in the land of Judah…is our Ruler…and is our Shepherd. Jesus himself, referred to himself as
The Bread of Life. If we come to Him, He sustains us and gives us life, life eternal.
Questions
What do you ‘feed’ on throughout the day? Feed your mind? Your body? Your soul? Does this ‘food’ give you life?
Reflect this season on the prophecies that pinpoint the Messiah as Jesus…and the metaphors that refer to His nature and character. In what ways is He pointing to you today?
Prayer
Come, to Bethlehem and see. Christ the Lord our newborn King. Lord, Jesus you are the Bread of Life, I come to you for sustenance, for help, for hope for strength to carry on. Thank you that you freely give to all who seek you. You gave your life for me, and I give mine back to you.