Day 29 · The Nativity Fast
Bethlehem, Small Among the Clans
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small amongst the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me who is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.”Micah 5:2
Reflection
Micah named the very town: Bethlehem, too small to count among the clans of Judah, would give Israel its ruler, one “whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.” When the Magi asked where the King was to be born, the chief priests and scribes quoted this prophecy (Matthew 2:4-6). God chose the small town, the poor family, the cave and the manger. In a season that pushes us toward bigger and more, the Fast trains us to look for God in what is small.
A prayer
Lord, you chose little Bethlehem. Help me not to despise small things: small acts of love, small prayers, small beginnings. Be born in the small and humble places of my life. Amen.
Carry this with you
What small, hidden act of love can you do today?