From Our Children’s Minister, Meschel Hara:

Make Room for Jesus
Reflect with me on the story of Jesus’ birth…
God comes to Earth in the flesh by sending us Jesus as our Savior through an ordinary girl named Mary, who loved God with all her heart, and a simple carpenter, Joseph. God brings them together in love and chooses them to be the Earthly parents of Jesus. Imagine how chaotic Mary & Joseph’s life became when everyone found out Mary was expecting, even though they had not been married yet. But Mary & Joseph persevered through the chaos and made room for Jesus in their life so that we can experience Jesus in our life.
Then God uses the innkeeper who chooses to make room for Jesus by offering what only room he has available in the stable that’s intended for the guests’ animals. It would have been so easy for the innkeeper to turn Mary & Joseph away as did many other innkeepers previous to him. I’m sure he and his staff were super busy with a full inn, and I imagine he had to make time to clear out an area in the stable for Mary & Joseph because it was most likely very full of animals since the inn was so crowded. But the innkeeper persevered through the chaos and made room for Jesus.
Life has not changed. It is still full of seasons of chaos, drama, and busyness. Choosing to make room for Jesus is not always easy; but it has the best reward. May we choose to persevere through the craziness of life and make room for Jesus. May we choose to accept the gift of salvation through a relationship with Jesus so that we can have a life that’s everlasting with God the Father. May we get up early on Sundays instead of sleeping in so that our family can grow closer to Jesus together. May we find the time to talk to Jesus each and every day. And the list could go on. Wherever you are in YOUR journey, my prayer is that you make room for Jesus this Christmas season and in the coming year of 2022.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16