It's Christmas, the time of year for sharing and giving and celebrating. What do we celebrate? Do we really make room in our busy lives to celebrate the birth of the King of Kings, The Messiah, Jesus Christ? Maybe when we evaluate and take a close look at ourselves we may find that we to have said NO ROOM. I don't say this to poke at you but rather to poke and push myself. How at Christmas am I doing more for Christ than another time. When I celebrate my children's birthday, I plan a party buy presets for them and remember when they were first born and little. If this is how I celebrate for my own child, should there not be a special celebration for my savior?I know that God says to Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul with all your mind with all your strength. I try to do this daily. Let me state that I am not anywhere close to being successful in this attempt but the desire is there. Anyway, if this is the case how do I change up my life to celebrate Christ on his "birthday". What party, what present have I gotten especially for Him? Yes, I have a Christmas tree and yes, I go to a Christmas Eve service but really is this the birthday present Jesus wants?What does Jesus ask from us to present as gifts to him? Now comes the heart of the matter. He as always wants to be in relationship with Him. Is there room for Jesus in your office? School? Family?I think it's neat to have a birthday cake for Christmas but Jesus still deserves more, we need to give more.Give more of what? Give more of me! What's cool is that Jesus doesn't want the me all dressed in a pretty package with a bow. Now he wants the me that is in the shopping cart. The me I desire to be, the me that is in need of being paid for and purchased. You see, we are in Jesus's shopping cart. He has paid for us with His blood and desires to be in relationship with the room that we hide in the back. You see Jesus was born in the back room so to speak. He was not born in the fancy castle and announced to the world by it's leaders. God's son came into the world through the ugly places. Through a manger in a barn. He knew that there was more hay and stubble in our lives as opposed to gold and silver. Just like His birth Jesus wants from us our ugliness for with it He can bring peace, and glory to His Father. Christ in us can do the impossible when we love Him and do so with all our heart.What does a birthday party look like for Jesus. Well I think perhaps it is simple. It is taking your present out to a stranger and telling them about the life of the one born in a stable. How you remember his birth and then his 33 years as He walked and performed miracles on this earth. Continuing on in your memories you share how the men of the world, all men, sin and cannot pay the cost for their sin. That Jesus took His life and gave it up to Roman soldiers to place it on a cross, kill it, so that the price for sin would be paid. Jesus became sin for us so that there would be rooms for us in heaven.He whom the world cried out NO ROOM, NO ROOM, has made room for us.
When we share the birth, life and death, that is a gift for Jesus on His birthday. But there is one thing more. We must remember that in our normal world there is birth, life, and death BUT not with the gift of Christmas. Christmas brings with it the promise of REBIRTH, new life. Christmas should go beyond today for it is everlasting life, and one time birth that leads to eternity. Jesus wasn't born to just die but to rise again and He did. Yes look under the tree and see a baby, yes recognize there was no room at the inn --- BUT also follow the branches of you Christ- mas tree to the top. Look up and beyond for eternity is waithing for those who celebrate the King of Kings, the SAVIOR, There is NO ROOM to celebrate just a baby. We must celebrate life by living it with joy in all circumstances. By giving others the gift of the lifestory of the Christ, we celebrate His birthday anew. Let there be ROOM in every conversation for Jesus to be lifted up and glorified. That is the message of Christmas. It is by actions of love toward Jesus that result in making ROOM for Christ at Christmas. 
Texts are from the NIV unless other wise stated
NO ROOM
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY
This page was last updated: December 15, 2011
| ||||
