A KING IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM

                                                                       

Mummy giving Santa Claus a smackeroo under the mistletoe (I sincerely don’t think it would have been a laugh if dad had seen), jingling of bells, sleds and snow, gifts and lights, stockings and missing snowmen, puddings and decorated trees, these are the classic features of Christmas.

The rush of adrenaline as people shop till they drop, the thrill of opening presents, the joy of family reunions, these are the caffeine in the coffee of this high energy season.  Like a toy boat in the strong grip of a maniacal flood, we are swept away by the fever of it all. 

Now there is one little town that is embroiled in the swirling currents of the Christmas story, that is Bethlehem. Thing is, unless you look very closely, you would miss this rural municipal in the snowy mists of all the merriment.

Some thousands of years before, Prophet Samuel went down to Bethlehem to anoint a shepherd boy as King of Israel. The crowning was swallowed up in the festivities of the sacrifice he made to God to disguise the true purpose of his visit and almost no one noticed that history had been made. People thought “The Prophet” must have been clowning with David since another king was on the throne of Israel.

Fast forward to Augustus Caesar’s decree for a population census during the Roman’s world domination. The whole earth was caught up in the excitement of the edict while in a manger a King was born and no one noticed. Herod was on the throne calling the shots and was oblivious to the divine nativity going on in his back yard. No one reckoned with Bethlehem, not even the wise men that saw a rare star. They felt kings were usually in palaces and went looking for the Ruler of the world in Herod’s place. Somehow in the showy events of life, Bethlehem always seems overlooked.

Herod was confused by the enquiries of the wise men and inquired of his scribes the meaning of the oriental men’s search. The scribes discovered in the books that Prophet Micah, who had a glimpse of the potential of the unknown town had prophesied about its future.

Bethlehem, small dusty town without frills and thrill, a place not usually mentioned when you talk about the cosmopolitan cities of Judah. But it was a place where Kings were born.

Bethlehem never looked like it but it was it! If you judged it by its cover then you would miss the heavenly bestseller in it by a mile. You overlook the place at your peril. It was unglamorous but within it was born the Glamour of heaven. Contrary to prevailing public opinion, great things happen in Bethlehem!

Recently, I went for an oncology seminar organized by Ace Medicare Clinic in the African Leadership Developmental Centre of Covenant University Sango Otta. Sango Otta is an unspectacular place, if there ever was one, compared to the Victoria Islands of this world. The conference was world class and drew great people from all over the world. The convention was a king amongst conventions!

Same thing applies to you. YOU MIGHT NOT LOOK LIKE IT BUT YOU ARE IT! THERE IS A KING IN YOU!

Jesus was born in a manger after been rejected in the inns, surrounded by goats and sheep but it never detracted from the fact that He was the King of Kings.

Have you ever been rejected by a human, marital, financial, educational establishment, then you are in distinguished company. Are you currently in a stinky smelly, manger, beset by the scent of the hay of limitations, the braying of the donkeys of lack of companionship, are you sleeping in an ugly crib of insolvency, do you seem to be booed by the lowing of the cows of hopelessness, are the baaing of sheep telling you there is no wool of dressing to keep you warm in the harsh winds of a hoary winter,….? All these will never detract from the truth that there is a king in you.

In the manger you might feel that you do not have humans to assist the delivery of your dreams and publicize it to the world. Your thoughts might be that you are not in a labour room and there are no midwives. Keep your cool, angels will be your midwives and will announce you. Even when men finally appeared, they were common shepherds. How will shepherds help your present ordeal? My friend, think companionship, when the night is cold and long, nothing helps like the camaraderie of folks more joyous than Ukrainians loaded up on vodka doing a Gopak dance. Be patient a little bit more, The Orient kings will soon arrive bearing the gifts that are tailor made for your destiny.

Look beyond the fanfare of this period and key into the purpose of this season! Christmas is beyond dining and wining, it is a time to take a long critical look inwardly. IT IS A TIME WHEN KINGS ARE BORN!!! YOU ARE A KING!

Has life belittled you in any way then listen and listen good to what Prophet Micah told Bethlehem, it is also a message for you…..“FOR THOU O, BETHLEHEM ARE NOT THE LEAST AMONGST THE PRINCES OF JUDAH, FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME A GOVERNOR THAT WILL RULE MY PEOPLE ISRAEL….”