God's Footprints
Did you know that the carol, "O Little Town of Bethlehem" was written by Phillip Brooks when he visited Bethlehem? In 1865 when he was 30 years old, on Christmas Eve he rode out to Bethlehem, where he saw shepherds in the fields and looked down in the starlight at the little town of Bethlehem and the scene had changed little.
Twice now I have been privileged to go there. Every time I return, I still see the shepherds. But now there are cars and trucks and modern conveniences all around. You are invited to enter the Church of the Nativity, but you must stoop over to go into the front door. Then you enter the church and go down stairs where there is a special spot in the grotto where a star adorns the floor. There they say the Christ child was born.
Many people talk and visit until they come to this special place. Then they are silent and there is a wonderful transformation. Many kneel and touch or kiss the special place. Some grown men even have tears in their eyes, and all the sounds of the centuries suddenly stop. Here is something sacred. It is almost as though you know a special presence. The people that you are standing with are touched by not only the sacredness of the place, but the look of your face and the reverence in your heart.
It is rumored that when you leave that special place, you begin in a unique way to walk in God's footprints. Maybe today, we need to stop and look closely for "God's footprints." There we will find new ways of loving and caring for one another.
Did you know that the carol, "O Little Town of Bethlehem" was written by Phillip Brooks when he visited Bethlehem? In 1865 when he was 30 years old, on Christmas Eve he rode out to Bethlehem, where he saw shepherds in the fields and looked down in the starlight at the little town of Bethlehem and the scene had changed little.
Twice now I have been privileged to go there. Every time I return, I still see the shepherds. But now there are cars and trucks and modern conveniences all around. You are invited to enter the Church of the Nativity, but you must stoop over to go into the front door. Then you enter the church and go down stairs where there is a special spot in the grotto where a star adorns the floor. There they say the Christ child was born.
Many people talk and visit until they come to this special place. Then they are silent and there is a wonderful transformation. Many kneel and touch or kiss the special place. Some grown men even have tears in their eyes, and all the sounds of the centuries suddenly stop. Here is something sacred. It is almost as though you know a special presence. The people that you are standing with are touched by not only the sacredness of the place, but the look of your face and the reverence in your heart.
It is rumored that when you leave that special place, you begin in a unique way to walk in God's footprints. Maybe today, we need to stop and look closely for "God's footprints." There we will find new ways of loving and caring for one another.
Holy Week Prayer
Holy God, just as Your presence came in a special way in Bethlehem, let it also come to us right now wherever we are. Let us be changed by all we find of the Glory of God and then let us be bold when we walk in the footprints of Your Son in this world today. In His Holy name we pray. Amen.
This has been Rev. Jim Massey. I pray God’s richest blessing on you this Holy Week. May the peace and joy of knowing the Lamb of God fill your hearts for the coming day. Join me next week for another Mid-week Epistle.
No comments:
Post a Comment