“While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:6-7 (NASB)
On that first Christmas, when Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph were at the end of a long journey—and they found there was no room for them in the local inn.
This is how the Gospel of Luke tells the story: “While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:6-7 NASB).
Looking back at the story—knowing that the innkeeper turned away the Son of God—it’s easy to think the innkeeper should have made room for Mary, Joseph, and the soon-to-be-born Jesus. But the reasons the innkeeper didn’t make room for Jesus that first Christmas are some of the same reasons we don’t make room for him in our lives today.
We don’t pay attention. Jesus shows up in your life all the time in unexpected opportunities, in words other people say to you, and in problems he allows so you can grow. He shows up; you often just don’t see him.
We crowd our lives with other things. In Bethlehem, the problem was that the inn was already booked. This is a parallel to your heart. You were created to have God living inside you. But too often we rent our hearts out to other things, and there’s no room for Jesus.
The Message paraphrase of Deuteronomy 8:14 says, “Make sure you don’t become so fullof yourself and your things that you forget GOD.” You can do lots of good things that leave you with no room for Jesus. If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll just make you busy. He doesn’t care what distracts you, as long as you pay no attention to God.
We really don’t think we need to make room for God. If we’re honest, deep down we really don’t want God. We have a sense of self-sufficiency that says, “I’m doing fine on my own.” You may be living a good life, but “the good life” is not good enough. You need the better life. When you don’t allow God into your heart, you miss the very purpose of your life.
The innkeeper should have made room for Jesus, but he didn’t. Don’t make the same mistake.
You’re meant to be connected to God. Choose to make room in your heart for Jesus so you can get to know him, enjoy a life lived for him, and spend eternity with him.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
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