Saturday, 25 December 2021

And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. – Luke 2:7

Today's Scripture Reading (December 25, 2021): Luke 2

American author Robert Tew argues that we need to "make room for what matters … let go of what doesn't. It's that simple." I agree. It really is that simple, but that doesn't mean that it is easy. We seem to accumulate many things in our lives that don't really matter. Our houses are filled with them. I have a friend whose house is filled with the boxes of his possessions. The problem with the clutter is that, because of excess and the things that he doesn't need, he struggles to find the things that he does need. It is a nightmare that you might see on an episode of "Hoarders," but the truth is that we are all guilty of it to at least a small extent. The simple solution is to make room for the important if it were only that easy.

I love Craig Groeschel's idea of 'it.' He applies its concept, an intangible that some organizations have, and some don't, to his understanding of the church. He says that some churches have it, and some don't. Craig insists that "it" can't be described and that he really doesn't know how to get it, although there are things that we can do to increase or decrease the possibilities of having it.

It seems obvious, but on top of this list of “to do’s” has to be that the church must make room for Jesus. He can't be just a concept or an idea. We have to know him and the reality of his presence. Jesus is the only one whose person is more important than his ideas. Jesus is real, and as the Christian community, we have to understand that. If he is anything less, we won't have it. And since the church is, well, us, he has to be real in our lives; we have to make room for him.

There might have been no room at the inn for Jesus, but for life to go the way it was designed to, we have to make room for him in our lives. Is there room for Jesus in your life, or have you put up the "No Vacancy" sign? The choice is ours. Why not make room for Jesus today – and have a Merry Christmas.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: November 30

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