Pocket Sized Thoughts – Christmas – Part 8

There was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7)

These are well known words with an almost equally well known meaning. Due to a Roman census, Joseph and Mary, his heavily pregnant wife, had to remove from Nazareth and go to Bethlehem, their original home. It was a journey of 80-90 miles and would have taken at least 3 days. People were on the move everywhere and it was an incredibly busy time. Places to stay were at a premium. Everywhere was occupied. Because there was no room anywhere else, one innkeeper (or, perhaps his wife?), out of pity, offered them a stable. There, amidst the dirt and the smells, virtually unnoticed, Christ was born. It is incredible to think that possibly the first witnesses of Christ’s birth may have been domesticated animals (donkeys, sheep, goats, etc) – part of the Creation He had made. Many people would confess that the birth of Christ was important, but the busyness of life overtakes us. In our rush to get things done, we can so easily make no room for Jesus. Other ‘lodgers’ fill the inn of our lives. Don’t allow other things to crowd out Jesus. Give Him space and give Him time and you will be amazed at what He can do in your life. He can transform the humblest of ‘stables’ and beginnings.

PRAYER :- “Lord, don’t allow my schedules to have the pre-eminence over you; I give you room in my life.”