No Place For them In The Inn

Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

            Have you finished your Christmas shopping? It is probably Christmas Eve or maybe even Christmas Day when you read this. I hope and pray that you have finished long before now. The stress level of shopping at the last minute can completely distract a person from remembering why we celebrate Christmas. Jesus is the reason for the season.

            Is there room in your heart for Jesus at Christmas?  Is there always room, or is it a hit and miss thing?  This Christmas it maybe especially challenging to keep the reason for the season at the forefront of our thoughts and prayers. In addition to the “normal” distractions, we are still in shock over the Sandy Hook School massacre.  Our hearts are heavy, and our prayers are filled with love for those who lost loved ones. It can be difficult.  The flurry of activities can distract us.  And our attention can be diverted. We can be in the position of having no room for Jesus in our heart.

            What can we do?  When trying to make room in your heart for Jesus, maybe we can take on the heart of Jesus during the Christmas season.  There are many opportunities to have the heart of Jesus at Christmas. Volunteering at the Salvation Army, or the food bank are a couple of ways. Participate in a Christmas for disadvantaged families program. Drop a few dollars in the red kettle.  Help out at church.  Okay, you may have noticed there are a lot of “do” items. The reason for that is Jesus was more than just words. Jesus was a doer. He helped, healed, taught, shared, fed.  And when we remember we are already saved by grace through faith, the weight of doing deeds to earn salvation evaporates into thin air. Jesus had a heart of love, and we need that same heart not just at Christmas.  Come on, go out and do something for someone.  It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

            PRAYER: Lord, we need Your love this Christmas more than ever. Help us Father to share Your love with those we know, and with those we do not yet know. Help us to have the heart of Your Son in our lives. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.