sacred promises

Today in church the sermon was about what a home is. Our Minister talked about Bethlehem, the place in which Jesus was born. The word Bethlehem means 'the house of bread', and that is what they sold there. Many small markets even today, selling bread and other foods. But there is another translation to this word, 'the house of war'. Bethlehem had been dealing with a lot of war in the time when Mary and Joesph were traveling. Cruel armies were invading and corrupting this land. The same land that this Holy child would be born into. This would become the newborn's home. But it was already known of, from a long time ago in the form a great dream that someone would bring peace to Bethlehem with the power from the Lord.

"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall be given them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace."

It had been prophesied in the book of Micah about 700 years before the birth of Jesus.

It was known that this would happen and the town of Bethlehem would play host to the Messiah. Their most powerful and beautiful King! This was a dream which promised peace and inspired hope for the world and this place. Bethlehem is the home of sacred promises.

"There is no comfort anywhere for anyone who dreads to go home."  -Laura Ingalls Wilder

A home is a place of safety and in which takes many unique forms. The stable for Mary and Joesph was their home, the town of Bethlehem which was splitting apart in war, was a home to many. These people had a home still, even in this time before the Christ child was born, because of this ancient promise, this snibbit of scripture that proclaimed a great change and new life within a broken town.
I ask you all to think a little longer and a little deeper when you glance over these words. Bethlehem, a house of war, was the place God chose for His son to be born into. A home, where one chooses and longs to be in. It is curious how these two words interconnect.