It’s the holiday season and a lot of people are traveling or having guests stay. With holidays and travel one factor that needs attention, especially with kids, is the need for suitable accommodation. We have six kids, and we’ve stayed in a variety of places; Airbnb’s, quaint cottages, hostels, convents, campsites, repurposed barns, friends' lounges, caravans, tents, and where necessary all of us bundled up for the night in our car when there was a sudden change of destination, and on arrival, no rooms available.
The disappointment of finding no room is something a well-known couple called Mary and Joseph also experienced on the night Jesus arrived in the world.
Mary and Joseph arrived in the town of Bethlehem during a country-wide census and faced the predicament of there being no rooms available at all and Mary was about to give birth. Weary from days of traveling, and with a baby on the way Joseph desperately banged on every door in town in the hope he might be able to find somewhere, anywhere they could shelter for the night, but at every door, they were turned away with a “no room here sign”.
Every innkeeper missed being part of something history-making that night simply because they weren’t aware enough of what was happening right in front of them; they weren’t reading the signs as the wise men were that a King was about to be born; they hadn’t paid attention to the bright star shining overhead, nor did anyone notice anything different about the young couple standing on their doorsteps needing a room for the night. As a result, they missed the privilege of housing the Son of God at his birth and becoming a part of one of, if not the most significant moment in history.
But maybe we shouldn’t be too hard on the innkeepers who had no room for Jesus’ birth that night. They were all obviously caught up with the hustle and bustle around them, much like we can be too. Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus.
How often do we resist making space or get too distracted? We can very easily fill up every available space in our hearts and minds, so that when Jesus comes knocking and requires space in our life; in our hearts, thoughts and yes, schedule, we have neither the availability in our hearts nor the time and money to afford what He may ask of us. We too have made no room for Jesus.
You might think you have a good life now much like the innkeepers all thought they were having a good night. Their rooms were all full, the cash was flowing and everything looked great. But what if you could have an ever-better life; a more meaningful, purposeful, peace-filled, joyful life, wouldn’t you want to know about it? Wouldn’t those innkeepers and their families have made it possible for Jesus to be born in their inns if they had discerned what was about to happen in their neighbourhood? (Luke 2:7)
This Christmas take a few moments to think about the story of Mary and Joseph (you’ll find it in Luke 2) and ask yourself a question: “Have you left room in your life for Jesus?”
I encourage you to make room today and when you do don’t relegate Jesus to the back shed or barn but give Him the run of your house and keep making Him feel welcome with your whole heart, every day, in every area of your life. For then you will discover the purpose, peace, and power that comes through knowing Him.
Jesus said,” Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together” (Revelation 3:20)
Merry Christmas 😊
For more encouragement, you can also listen to my podcast "Going Deeper". Check out this week's episode A Christmas story live now
Prayer: Jesus, I make room in my life for you today. Forgive me if I have heard you before and answered and relegated you to the “back shed”. Today I choose to make space for you with my whole heart. In Jesus Name Amen.
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