Micah 5:2-5a, From Ancient Days

Observation: Although Micah's original historical context is the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the 8th Century BC, for two thousand years Christians have closely read Micah's words and connected them to the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Christians proclaim the same Christ who took on flesh in Jesus has actually existed since before time, "from ancient days."

Application: Happy Saint Nicholas Day. Nicholas was Bishop of Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the fourth century AD and took part in the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, where a lot of what we consider "orthodox" Christian beliefs were settled. Nicholas famously got so angry at Arius, an Egyptian theologian who claimed that Christ came to exist only after God the Father and was God's creation, that he smacked him. Not a flattering story necessarily, but almost certainly true, and a reminder of what Nicholas believed was at stake.

There are a lot of traditions surrounding Nicholas: his charitable giving, the miracles he performed for sailors in distress, and of course the hundred or so later layers of mythology and hype which connect him to our modern-day "Santa Claus." In some parts of the world, his saint day is still celebrated by giving candy coins to kids who leave out their shoes, recalling a story in which he secretly gave dowry money to a family of daughters who were too poor to be married. In many circles, Nicholas is remembered as an example of Christian generosity and giving, reminding us it's "more blessed to give than to receive."

In all honesty, I thought about just picking a text other than this appointed one from Micah--maybe one about giving or sharing--and in my mind I could almost hear Nicholas saying "do it and so help me, I'll clock you."

You see, if there's any sense I get from the historical Nicholas of Myra, what he devoted his life to above all else was not understanding how we humans can be generous to each other in our little way, but rather the infinite depths of God's generosity to us--that Christ who existed from eternity, who has never not been, was willing to empty himself and become a human being, vulnerable, limited, tied to a certain place and time, to offer God's love to us in his life, death and resurrection. I think the real "St. Nick" would be very much on board with yielding "his" day to talk about that Christ--the one "from ancient days"--who gave his whole self for us.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the witness of your servant Nicholas, who pointed to your everlasting glory, and the amazing gift you gave to us in that little town of Bethlehem. Amen.