Spirit of Christmas abides in Bethlehem

Mobilize! Marshal your troops! The enemy is laying siege to Jerusalem. With a rod they will strike the leader of Israel in the face. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past. -- Micah 5:12, New Living Translation

Around the world, Bethlehem is on the minds of Christians preparing for the celebration of the Christ's birth. The passage from Micah foretells the birth of the Savior and records that his birthplace was in turmoil seven or eight centuries before a star guided the three wise men to a stable.

Today, Bethlehem is under military occupation, thanks to a series of attacks staged by anti-Israeli militants using the town as a base of operations.

Micah also tells us that a town that was too small to have its own military garrison would produce a ruler of great importance. The sadness of the current strife in Bethlehem is offset by the hope of believers everywhere. In spite of curfews and troops on patrol, the spirit of Christmas abides.