Happy Advent! We’ve entered a thrilling time of the year. The season filled with anticipation and expectation. We anticipate becoming celebration of the birth of Jesus. Even more we anticipate his coming in glory.
For many people this time of the year is extremely busy. We have little sacred space. With all the added activities on top of our other commitments we become stretched thin.
I am reminded of the Christmas story. In Luke 2:7 it says Jesus was laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn. What strikes me here is that there was no room for Jesus. He was the Savior of the world and yet he got left out. There was no vacancy for Jesus.
It happened when he was born and it continues to happen today. There is much to do with Christmas, but somehow Jesus gets left out. We make room for so many things, but fail to make room for him.
The small little town of Bethlehem was bursting at the seams. The Roman census had brought many people to town. We sing about the little town of Bethlehem and how still it lay. But with the census it was filled with much activity. At the same time no one knew about the great work that God was doing right in the middle of their little town. Everyone was preoccupied with the tasks at hand.
Then there were the shepherds out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. The quiet fields outside of Bethlehem were a stark contrast to the bustling city. It was to these shepherds in the quiet fields that God chose to reveal the mighty miracle that was taking place. It was the shepherds who are able to experience what everyone else missed out on in all their busyness.
The question we need to ask is if we get so busy with Christmas that we miss Christ. With all the obligations we feel necessary to experience the perfect Christmas, do we end up missing the perfect Savior. We associate shopping malls, family meals, pageants, concerts, and parties with Christmas. But more than anything else Christmas is about the presence of God. Jesus came as our Immanuel which means “God with us.”
This Christmas season let’s look to see Jesus and make room for him. It’s not about doing more, but being mindful of his presence in the things we are already doing. Maybe its saying “no” to some of the things we feel obligated to do, but have little to do with what Christmas is truly about.. Often times very little of what we do during the Christmas season is about Jesus.
The next time you sit down for a family meal, share as a family how God blessed you that day. When you are at the mall looking to find gifts for friends and family, pause for just a moment and thank God for the opportunity you have to be a blessing to others. When you gather with relatives, take the opportunity to practice forgiveness and seek reconciliation to honor the one born as Prince of Peace. What will you do this Advent and Christmas to make room for Jesus?
Elisabeth Bennett says
Thank you for your devotions! They are a gift to me. I would like to make a gift to your church in response. How do I do this?
Phil Ressler says
Thanks for the kind words Elisabeth. You can donate at https://gs4nj.org/secure-donation . We appreciate the support to continue hosting this site.
Renee says
Thank you for these words. We are sending home a prayer corner kit with our First Communicants this weekend. I will definitely add “making room for Jesus” to my description of this experience. We use the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program at our parish. I was searching Good Shepherd and happened upon your emails during Lent. Keep up the good work and words!
Phil Ressler says
Thanks Renee.
Becca says
I look forward to these devotions. We read them as a family and even our little ones enjoy them. Thank you! God bless you and your ministry!!
Janet says
Thanks again for helping to bring me back to the whole point of the season. I also look forward to coming upon your devotions in my email. They are they are often most meaningful and helpful thing I read among the hundreds I delete