No Room

"So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:6-7

At the time of Jesus’ birth a census was being conducted which required people to return to their place of origin. Joseph and Mary were traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It was during that trip that Jesus made His entrance into the world.

There were no hotels or motels. No hospitals with elaborate birthing rooms. Apparently a lowly stable, more like a damp and dingy cave, was the only place that they could find to stay.

Have you ever wondered about that? The Son of God, King of the Jews, Messiah, the Christ Child came to this earth and God did not even arrange for a room for Him in one of the local inns. What a way to treat your only Son. He was of the noblest of origins yet born in a stinky stable-like environment sleeping in a feeding trough. What a way for the Son of God to spend His first night in the world.

It appears doubtful that it would have made any difference if Joseph had pleaded with the owner of the establishment about the condition of his wife and the coming of this King. It must have been obvious that she was in a delicate condition and needed a place that was warm and clean to give birth. Still there was no room. What if Mary had told the owner that she was about to bring the Son of God into this world? I doubt that would have mattered.

God could have snapped His fingers and cleared the inn completely. Yet the reality of it all was that not only was there no vacancy at the inn, there was really no room for Him--period. The Jews were looking for a royal king not a little baby born of a virgin. They did not have any room in their heads or their hearts for this kind of King.

A handful of people saw the star, heard the voices of angels, and came that night to welcome Him into this world. They had room for this One of whom the prophets had spoken. They made a journey to see and worship Him because they had simply opened the door of their heart to let their Messiah—the King of All Kings—enter in.

We often feel that if we were the keeper of the inn that we surely would have behaved differently. We would have squeezed Joseph and Mary in even if it meant putting someone else out. We would have never allowed Jesus to take a backseat to the hustle and bustle going on around us. We're certain we'd have acted differently.

Yet when we examine our hearts we are guilty of doing the same thing more often then we realize. We have a room, our heart, designed especially for Him but often He stands outside knocking in an effort to get in because we've left Him outside. Space issues, crowding, etc. are problems for us just as they were in Bethlehem.

We try to make room for what is important. Church, family, friends, jobs, sports, etc. We feel certain that we have left plenty of time and space for Jesus in our hearts and lives. Do we dare make the same mistake as happened way back when? Never. Yet, when we truthfully examine our lives, we discover that we have room for everything and everyone else but very little room for Him.

Making room for Him requires little—but for us it seems to be a lot. Jesus is looking for a place where we can dwell all alone with no one else, and nothing else but Him. A place that is swept clean of sin and selfishness, a space that is set apart for Him not only to visit but also to come and dwell in.

We say that we have all of these things, yet the question that comes to mind is why then in Revelation 3:20 is Jesus standing outside knocking on the door of the Church asking to come in? Sadly enough, that is the condition of some of the churches of our day. Churches which we are a part of.

Jesus comes knocking day in and day out and we very casually send Him away. There is much talk going on about putting "CHRIST" back into Christmas. A seasonal relationship with Jesus is not enough. It's time we make "a room for Him" in our hearts every day.

"God wants full custody not weekend visitation." Author Unknown