Lighting of Fourth Candle: The Runt

Devotion by: Victoria Wagner

Micah 5:1-4a

⁵Now you are walled around with a wall;
siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the ruler of Israel
upon the cheek.
²But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
³Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labour has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the people of Israel.
⁴And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth;

It’s Christmas Eve, and we’re awaiting the arrival of our King ~ not just any king, but our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The preparations are complete ~ the cookies have been baked; the packages have been wrapped; the cards have been addressed and mailed; the trees have been trimmed; but none of these things matter to our King, for our King is coming as a baby.

How does one care for a baby? I remember when my children were babies, a long time ago. A mother never forgets ~ holding that tiny bundle who is totally dependent on us for all its physical and emotional needs. A baby is entrusted to us to care for and love ~ it’s pure and simple.

But we’re expecting a King, not a baby! A king comes in majesty, not as a tiny babe. Yet, that’s how God chooses to come to us. We’re required to love and care for this tiny treasure ~ it’s pure and simple. With loving hearts, we’re called to nurture and care for one another, for we are God’s tiny treasures. Each of us came to this world as a baby, requiring the simplest care ~ love.

As we’ve grown to adulthood, let us remember how simply we came to this world, and what our purpose is in this world ~ to love as God loves us.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, as we finalize our holiday preparations, please help us to realize that it’s our hearts that need to be prepared to receive the love that you’re sending in your Son, Jesus. Lord, we give thanks for all the many blessings you bestow on us every day ~ may our lives simply reflect the love that you give us so that we may reflect your love to others. Amen.