No Room

“And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn”
—Luke 2:6-7.

Christmas Eve. Huddled together are Christmas Eve worshippers singing carols that echo in their memories from many Christmases past. Others elect to celebrate with friends and family, while still others spend time with their children, allowing them to open one or two Christmas presents before the morning celebration. Children are bedded down for the night, almost unable to sleep as they are filled with excitement at the possibility of Santa coming to their house bringing them presents they desperately desire. Still for others, Christmas Eve means hunkering down for the night, drinking some eggnog or cocoa, and watching their favorite Christmas movie. There is something special, almost magical, to Christmas Eve. Whether it is spent in the quiet of a candlelight service or watching The Christmas Story, there is nostalgia in the air. There is a hint of something more hanging in the cold night air, a scent of longing, a distant memory that excites us. Perhaps it is an attempt to recapture our innocence, to reclaim some evidence of hope for our world and our lives. Christmas is about many things, but more than anything, it’s about hope.

Hope comes to us in the most unlikely of places. And the greatest hope came to earth some two thousand years ago as a young Middle Eastern couple made their way to an inn for the night, waiting for Hope Himself to arrive. We are not exactly sure where Jesus was born. We know it was in Bethlehem, and we know that there was no room for them in an inn, but we are not sure where the actual birth took place. It was probably a family member’s home, very unlike the commercial inns that we know today. There was a census being taken at that time, so the small town of Bethlehem was filled with cousins and distant relatives. Mary and Joseph probably went to the home of a distant relative, but elderly guests were given preference in Middle Eastern cultures, which may explain why the young couple was forced to go to the stable area, probably attached to the home, where the animals were kept.

And in that room would come the greatest birth story ever known to man.

This is where the “only Son” from the “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” came from. This is where Jesus, Emmanuel, the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, Prince of Peace, and Everlasting Father would come to dwell. This is the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1), the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the Creator of the Universe (John 1:3, 10), the Judge (2 Timothy 4:1), our Savior (1 John 4:14), and the great I AM (John 8:58). He is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18) and the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18). He is the alpha and the omega (Revelation 1:8), and He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16). It was this God-man who came to die who was born that night. HE is the mystery of the ages, the hope of the nations, and the wonder of wonders. He is the God who came to die for our sins, so that we wouldn’t have to. Amazing.

Yet today, just as the first Christmas, there are still many who don't have room for Him. Many don’t want Him; others think that they don’t need Him, but they do, we all do. As long as we have sin and as long as we die, we need and will always need Him. So, to those who have never trusted in Christ, I encourage you to make room for Him in your hearts. And for those who already know Christ, let Him revive your heart all over again. May His peace flood the depths of your spirit and may you fall at His feet as the Magi did in worship. And may we, with raised voices, sing, “Glory to God! Glory to God in the highest!”—thanking Him for loving us too much to leave us where we were. And may He receive praise, honor and glory forever because of it. Amen.