December 15 - No Room

"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 2:7 NKJV)

The inn had no room for the Son of God. The Creator of the universe was born in a stable because the inn could not accommodate Him. But this wasn't an accident - it was part of God's plan to show that Jesus came for the humble and outcast.

Picture Joseph saying, "Look, my wife is about to have a child (maybe she was in the beginning stages of contractions). She needs a place, and she needs it now."

"Sorry, we don't have any room."

Maybe the innkeeper's wife was listening and said, "Don't we have the stable right over there? I know it's not much, but she needs something."

The question remains for us today: Is there room in our hearts for Jesus? We may not turn Him away as dramatically as the innkeeper did, but we can crowd Him out with our busy schedules, worries, ambitions, and distractions.

There was a painter, Holman Hunt, who went to Bethlehem and painted "The Light of the World" - Jesus knocking on a door. Someone said, "You messed up - there's no doorknob on the door." Hunt responded, "That was intentional. The doorknob is on the inside." The message of the painting was that Jesus is knocking, but you alone can let Him in. Do you have room for Jesus?

Reflection Question: What might you need to remove from your life to make more room for Jesus?

Dear Heavenly Father, I do not want to be like the innkeeper who had no room for Your Son. Help me examine my heart and life for things that crowd out Jesus. Give me wisdom to prioritize what matters most and make room for You in every area of my life. In Jesus' Name, amen.