No room for Jesus

We have officially entered the crazy season. A time when we go from here to there and back again trying to juggle Christmas parties and all the other festivities with everything else we have crammed into our already busy lives. Wow, I’m a bit stressed just typing all of that! Let’s get to the point. I’m saddened. I’m saddened that countless people are going to miss the true joy of this Christmas season because their lives are too jam packed to even notice what it is that makes Christmas, well…Christmas. If you’re like me, your December calendar is filling up to the point that post-it notes are now needed to help you keep track of all the holiday shenanigans. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. In fact, you are in the majority! Not so fast, that isn’t a compliment or anything to hang your hat on. It is however reality, but this reality has got to change!

In Luke chapter 2, we read of Jesus’ birth. It’s in this passage that we are told that Jesus was born in a manger because there was simply no room for Mary and Joseph at the inn the night of His birth. This passage of Scripture is one my favorite passages in all the Bible and it’s probably a passage that many of you read during the Christmas season. I have vivid memories of all my family gathering in the living room at my grandparents’ house each Christmas to read from this very passage when we were younger and it’s a tradition that I have continued in my own family.

Most of us are familiar with all the character’s listed in the passage. We know about the angels, the shepherds, and obviously Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. But let me point to a character that is easy to miss as you read this familiar passage. In verse 7, notice that the Bible says. “for there was no room for them in the inn.” You cannot have an inn without an innkeeper. Can you imagine being the person that ultimately turned away the mother and earthly father of Jesus?! That is exactly what happened the night of Jesus’ birth. According to the Bible, the only reason they were turned away that night was because the inn was simply too full. It’s probably safe to say that if the innkeeper would have known that Mary would be delivering Jesus that night, he would have made room for them. But that’s not how the story goes. Instead of being put away in a nice, warm room that evening, Mary and Joseph made their way to a barn and there among filthy animals, Mary gave birth to the Savior of the world!

You know the rest of the story. Angels appeared, shepherds came to worship, and all of heaven rejoiced that magnificent night. But guess who was not there? You guessed it, the innkeeper. Get this, the innkeeper could have been one of the first people to ever lay eyes on Jesus! But instead of welcoming Jesus into the world, the innkeeper will forever be remembered as the first person to ever turn Jesus away. How many of us are just like the innkeeper? Our lives and our hearts are so full of stuff that we have no room for the Savior. The life of the innkeeper could have been dramatically changed that night if he had only made room for Jesus. How would your life change if you took a long, hard look at your life and removed some of the stuff that has come between you and Jesus?

We live in a culture where individuals make room for everyone and everything, but seemingly have no room for Jesus. We frantically go from here to there trying to please everyone but don’t give a second thought to the things of the Lord. In other words, we make time for everyone and everything, but Jesus. I get it, life is busy and there is a lot of different things competing for your family’s time. But let’s all be honest, we all make time for the things we love to do and the people we love to be around. Simply put, we make time to do what is most important to us. What is most important to you and your family? A simple litmus test you can do to answer that question is to simply look at your checkbook and calendar. Follow your time and money and you will see what is most important to you. Matthew 6:21 tells us that where our treasure is, there will our heart be also.

May we all take time this Christmas season to reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas. It’s not the festivities and all the gifts. It’s all about Jesus and what He has done for us. Take time personally and with your family to evaluate your relationship with Jesus. Is there room for him in your life and in your family, or are you like the innkeeper and too busy and too full for Jesus? May we all make room for Jesus not only during the Christmas season, but every day of our lives! For its then and only then that we will find true fulfillment and true joy.

Merry Christmas to you all,
Dustin

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