Micah | Kristi's Morning Devotional

I woke up several times in the night and these words filled my mind every time I did, “Trust in the Lord and wait patiently on Him”. Over and over again the words came. When I woke and knew it was time to get up I laid there for a few minutes longer, pulling together my thoughts and everything left except “Trust and Wait”.

“Depend on the Lord. Trust in him, and he will help you. ⁶He will make it as clear as day that you are right. Everyone will see that you are being fair. ⁷Trust in the Lord and wait quietly for his help.” Psalm 37:5-7 ERV

Both the trusting and the waiting can be hard and they are only developed through experience. The word depend also means to commit. One version of the verse reads “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” (NLT)

Everything.

We are to involve the Lord in everything we do. He will prove Himself faithful. Some people are of the mindset that they won’t bother God with the small things; those they can handle themselves. It’s only the “big” things that they feel they should bother the Lord with.

Things that are big to us barely make a blip on heaven’s radar. What could we possibly bring to the Father that He considers big? When we fail to bring Him the things we consider small issues we will find that we lack the experience to trust Him with life’s larger challenges.

David, as a young shepherd, saw the Lord’s faithfulness while taking care of his father’s sheep. He depended on the Lord to help him keep the sheep safe and so when the lion and the bear came to attack his flock he knew God was with him to defeat them. When the time came to face Goliath David was ready. He had already experienced God’s faithfulness in smaller things.

“Sir, I have killed lions and bears that way, and I can kill this worthless Philistine. He shouldn’t have made fun of the army of the living God!” I Samuel 17:36 CEV

Answerrs to small prayers give us courage to face down the giants.

“But I trust the Lord God to save me, and I will wait for him to answer my prayer.” Micah 7:7 CEV

Waiting on the Lord for answered prayer isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of great strength. It takes strength to pray and ask God for the next meal to feed your family and not worry. It takes strength to wait on the Lord to bring you to the next job when the company you worked for closed. It takes strength not to crumble when the doctor gives you a bad report.

That strength comes from trusting, depending on, being committed to dependence on our heavenly Father and His word.

“Even very young men get tired and become weak and strong young men trip and fall. ³¹But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.” Isaiah 40:30-31 NLV

Trust and Wait! It’s there we find strength.

I told you yesterday that when we lived in Montana our town was small; 5000 people small and that was when college was in session. We purposefully chose a rural community there and here in Arizona. We’re small town people!

There is a sense of closeness and camaraderie among the people in rural areas. I remember going to events at the Elks Club and everyone was there; fund-raisers for the local high school, food drives, benefit night for someone who had been diagnosed with illness or hurt in an accident. These were all part of our community coming together to help.

I was wondering if this was what life was like in Bethlehem. Did everyone reach out to help their neighbors, to provide what was needed when there was a crisis? Was that what was in the heart of the innkeeper when he saw a young couple standing before him asking for a place to stay? Was he moved with compassion for this expectant mother; did it break his heart to say “there’s no room in the inn”?

I read one article which said, it is estimated at the time of the census, the time of Jesus birth, there were approximately 200 homes in Bethlehem. I don’t think the population of the whole town was much more than 1200-1500 residents. How many inns could there have been? How many doors did Joseph knock on before he found a place to stay?

The Scripture tells us that Bethlehem had been chosen, by God, as the place that Jesus was to be born. It was prophesied in the book of Micah, about 700 years before Christ, that He would be born here.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are the smallest town in Judah.
Your family is almost too small to count, but the “Ruler of Israel” will come from you to rule for me. His beginnings are from ancient times, from long, long ago. ³The Lord will let his people be defeated until the woman gives birth to her child, the promised king. Then the rest of his brothers will come back
to join the people of Israel. ⁴He will begin to rule Israel in the power of the Lord. Like a shepherd, he will lead his people in the wonderful name of the Lord his God. And they will live in safety because then his greatness will be known all over the world. ⁵He will bring a time of peace.” Micah 5:2-5 ERV

Bethlehem was said to be the smallest town in the country. If I were God I think I would have had my Son born someplace a little more grand. But God’s way is one of humility. The Apostle Paul says that God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. A birth in Bethlehem was truly an example of that.

This gives me real hope. Hope and a sense of purpose. If God chose a small town like Bethlehem to play a part in the birth of His Son then He can certainly use me for some purpose as well.

“Your word to me, your servant, is like pure gold; I treasure what you say. ¹⁴¹Everyone calls me a nobody, but I remember your laws. ¹⁴²You will always do right, and your teachings are true.” Psalm 119:140-142 CEV

The lesson I learn from Bethlehem being chosen is that God uses those who are available. A small town, an unnamed innkeeper, shepherds of questionable reputation and me. Thank you Lord that you see value when others see none.

O Little Town of Bethlehem, you were chosen for a great purpose!

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

Category: Micah

Trust & Wait

Lessons from Little Towns