O Little Town of Bethlehem

From an Africa Study Bible touch point:

Many parts of Africa remain dominated by village life, where we go out to work the fields every day and draw water from outside the house. For those of us who live in large cities, returning to the village is a pleasant chance to slow down and re-connect with our culture and community. The men and woman of Judah would have been aware of the differences of village and city life, just like we are in Africa today.

Micah could have passed over Bethlehem and concentrated on the Messiah doing great works in the great city, Jerusalem (Micah 5:4-5). Instead, he begins this great prophecy of Christ with the small village of David’s birth. This shows us that no place or person is ever too insignificant to be used in God’s plan. As Africa is becoming more urban and many people are moving from the villages to the cities, people often dismiss the importance of rural areas. This reminds us that even if we come from the village, we can make a great impact in our society. If we come from the city, we should not look down on the village of our youth or ancestors. Just as God honoured the village of Jesus’ ancestor, we should honour and esteem both those who come from the village and the city. 

Today: 

Pray today for both the cities and the rural areas in your country. You may want to pray for economic concerns, political situations, current events, or relatives who live in different regions. Ask God to use each of these places in his plan for your nation.