A Mighty Ruler
Micah 5:2–5
From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel. Micah 5:2
The prophecy of a ruler becomes quite personal. For the issue is not merely whether the one born in this small Judean town so long ago really was a great ruler, but whether he is your ruler. The question is, Are you his subject? Have you bowed your knee to him in proper homage?
You say, “I have never bowed before anyone. I run my own life.” If that is so, then you are opposed to Christ, regardless of what sentimental feelings you may or may not have at Christmastime. God regards your opposition to the rightful rule of his Son Jesus Christ over you as a matter of personal derision.
Another may say, “I believe that Jesus is a mighty ruler, even that he is (or may be) God, and I am willing to have him as my Lord someday. But not now, especially not at Christmas. There are so many things to do, so many good times to be had, so many sins to be indulged. I’ll come to him later.” If you are saying this, your folly may be even greater than those who would rebel against him entirely, because you are self-deluded. You will never come to him at that rate. Your sins will take you further and further from him, and eventually you will perish.
A third person says, “But Christ is my Lord. It is just that I want to run my own life now. I want to do what seems best to me to do.” According to Jesus, those who go their way, rather than his, are not his true disciples. We have a saying that is quite true: Either Jesus is Lord of all, or he is not Lord at all. You cannot profess to be his disciple without following him in all things and always.
If this mighty ruler from the tiny town of Bethlehem is not your ruler, then what you need is to be reborn. Or to put it another way, Jesus needs to be born in you. Jesus was born in Bethlehem when he came to earth the first time. But now he also needs to be born in your heart, wherever you may live.
Invite Jesus into your heart now. Confess your sin, thank him for his great love and grace in dying for you, and promise to follow him from this time onward as your Lord.
If you do that, the angels who sang in the skies above Bethlehem at Christ’s birth will burst into praise once again. For Jesus said that there is joy in heaven over even one sinner who repents of sin and turns to him.
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.