December 2006
Christmas greetings from Jerusalem!
With the season of Advent, we begin turning our hearts toward
the much-anticipated celebration of Christ’s birth here
in the Holy Land, where the real birth occurred so long ago. As
we journey through this time of preparation, we wonder: If Jesus
were to arrive this year, what would be different? What has changed?
Transportation across the ages. Photo by Andy Gans.
The biblical account of Christ’s birth has no doubt left
distinct images in your mind, as it has ours! Now that we are
living near his birthplace, we have a special opportunity to retrace
the path to his birthplace, to follow the steps of Joseph and
Mary as they made their way from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The contemporary
road from Galilee to Judea, while it is not a superhighway, is
paved, and most likely now a much straighter and less painful
seventy-mile connection between the two towns than it was. Yet,
despite modern technology, the landscape of the Holy Land is often
dotted with donkeys and their riders.
Shepherd's Fields today. Photo by Doug Dicks.
Today, Joseph and Mary might still have trouble finding room
at an inn—not because Bethlehem is overflowing with visitors,
but because, as the barrier of separation nears completion, the
little town of Bethlehem (“How still we see thee lie.”)
often lies in imposed silence.
Shepherds, as described in Luke 2: 8-20, still exist, and they
herd their flocks in much the same way they did when Christ was
born. However, the famous Shepherd’s Field is now the busy
center of Beit Sahour, and sheepherding is pushed farther afield.
Spot celebrated as the place of Christ's birth. Photo by Doug
Dicks.
The celebrated Church of the Nativity and Manger Square (in the
center of Bethlehem) mark the location where it is believed the
Christ child was born. The church houses both Orthodox and Roman
Catholic worship areas, and the grotto underneath—said to
be the spot where Christ was born—is marked by a hole elaborately
encircled by a silver star and lamps, with a marble altar built
over it. Despite the difficulty that pilgrims encounter crossing
checkpoints to get to this holy site, today it remains an important
site in Christian history and in our faith lives.
At the time of Christ’s birth, Judean citizens lived under
an occupation similar to the occupation that Bethlehem’s
current residents now endure. As the good news of the Christ child’s
birth spread, the nation felt a surge of hope. The birth was a
fulfillment of Scripture. People believed that God’s long
expected agent, whose name means “the Lord is our righteousness,”
was born to bring an end to the occupation so that people could
live in peace and security.
Today, Bethlehem’s Christians (who have maintained a witness
on behalf of all Christians here since His birth 2,000 years ago)
know that the Lord is indeed our righteousness, yet they continue
to pursue peace and security as a result of the current occupation.
It is only because of Christ’s existence in our lives that,
as his followers, we are able to maintain hope. Please pray with
us for a peace beyond all understanding this holiday season!
As we celebrate in Jerusalem we will be thinking of you, our
friends and family who mean so much to us! Our children and grandchildren
will be celebrating together in Mississippi this year. Reed, 3
years old, and Mari, 9 months, will have lots of loving family
surrounding them!
May your holidays be filled with love, laughter, and most of
all, peace!
Blessings,
Terry and Michele Finseth
The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
185 |
