Joy to the world the Lord is come,
Let earth receive her King,,
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
(From Psalm 98) Issac Watts
This familiar Christmas song really brings on the Spirit of Christmas. It is the season when we wait expectantly for a renewed joy of the holiday.
Every year for as long as we can remember, we get more excited about Christmas. Even when we are mandated to greet co-workers or people of other faiths with “Happy Holidays!” rather than “Merry Christmas!” to prove that we are sensitive— our hearts are shouting with a silent cheer—“Merry Christmas!”
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:1-7
Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus gives us the reason Jesus was born in a stable where animals of that day were sheltered. There was no room for them in the Inn. We can understand that the stable was the only place that Jesus and His family had to occupy. Do we still in 2013, over two-thousand years later have problems finding a space for Jesus to occupy? Is there space for Him in the world He created? Is there space for Him in the lives He’s created? Is there space for Him in the homes He’s blessed us with? Is there space for Him in our hearts that He regulates?
When we decorate our homes for Christmas, will we save a special memorial space for the “reason for the season?”
When we calculate what will be spent on Christmas, will we add on a contribution to a cause that Jesus would approve of?
As we plan for our Christmas vacation, will we allot time to focus on Jesus?
When we pledge to be filled with the kindness of the Christmas Spirit, will that include the people Jesus would be kind to?
When the family gathers to exchange gifts, will we remind them that the greatest gift that God, the father gave to His world, was Jesus? Do we understand that, 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)”, is more appropriate to consider at Christmas than our loyal participation in the football season? It is at this time that we are better able to identify with sacrificial giving. If we were to plot our time spent on a pie chart for 2010, how much time can we document as being spent on or on behalf of Jesus? Was it a fair amount of time based on the blessings He’s provided for us?
When we remember that Christmas is a Birthday Celebration; are we even aware that the birthday celebrity (Jesus) is often not invited and most times not acknowledged? As our calendars begin to fill with the Christmas parties we have to attend, let’s remember and remind others whose party we’re actually attending. This year invite the King of King, and Lord of Lords to sit in the seat of honor, He so richly deserves.
“Merry Christmas from Homewords!”
Note: Article reprinted from December 2009.
Homewords Ministry 