Monique and I were talking about how busy Christmas is the other day. Both of our families live in Southeast Texas, so each year, we travel to Jasper to have Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve, and that night, head to Vidor to have Christmas with her family. The travel alone, especially with a little one, is pretty hectic.

But then there are the presents.

Whether you are a über-planner or last minute shopper, you go through this process of buying Christmas gifts. My wife likes doing the Black Friday thing. You know Black Friday: the one day of the year being trampled at Walmart is an actual issue. Not for me. Once you get the presents, you have to wrap them and place them under the tree that took a few hours to set up. Not to mention the hours it took putting up the rest of the decorations for Christmas.

There are school productions, going “Christmas Light Looking At,” church cantatas, an endless number of parties and White Elephant gift exchanges, and so much more. You almost need a vacation from the yuletide season.

But as I was reading the Christmas story this morning, I really seemed to key in on the fact that there was no room for Joseph and Mary that night in Bethlehem. Not a room. Not a closet. Not a single corner in the whole inn. If a pregnant woman and her husband knocked on our door in the dead of night needing a pace to stay, I’d find it hard to turn them away, but that’s what happened. Not only was there no room, there was no compassion, no feeling.

Christmas has kind of become like that, hasn’t it? It has become the time of year for economic growth, exponential spending, and unbelievable business. It has opened the door to greed and ungratefulness. We hear a lot this time of year about the “Christmas Spirit” and this idea of goodness abounding, but the truth is that people have gotten so overwhelmed by how much time, money, and effort Christmas takes, that they have almost lost the impact of what it really means. We are on a path to becoming desensitized to the real reason for Christmas: God’s plan to restore us to himself going into action. Being overwhelmed by the majesty of who he is has been replaced by the overwhelming feeling of getting through Christmas. Being grateful and awed by God’s gift to us has been replaced by the fight for doorbusters and amazement at the deal Best Buy is offering.

Don’t believe me? Search YouTube for “Black Friday” and see what you get. And don’t forget the fact that Black Friday now has to have a Red Thursday, know to us all as Thanksgiving.

There is room for presents and parties and the GDP, but what about Jesus? Have you made room in the inn of your life for Jesus? In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, have you remembered the season’s real reason?

During our last service for our youth this year, I told the students to be sure and focus on the real meaning of Christmas. An XBox One or a PS4 is awesome, but it means nothing in eternity. I simply told them to make room for Jesus. This is because I believe two things can happen when we focus more on the holiday and less on Jesus:

1. We miss Jesus. When there is no room in your life for Jesus, you create the opportunity to miss something great he wants to do in and for you. Revelation 3:20 tells us, “ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” When you open the door to Jesus, when you make room in your life for him, the result is relationship and fellowship, and that puts you in the perfect place to worship him, and receive from him.

2. We are desensitized. That innkeeper showed no compassion to Mary and Joseph that night and as a result, he missed one of the greatest moments in history. He was not concerned with them or their plight. He was concerned about his customers, his inn, his family, his income, everything but helping someone who needed it. I’ve often wondered why he didn’t open his own house to them. Why didn’t he call for a doctor, or at least help them find alternate lodging? It is because he didn’t care. He was so wrapped up with his own life, he couldn’t help anyone else. I’m reminded of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Martha was busy with the event, but Mary was intently focused on Jesus, because she sensed who it was before her.

This Christmas season, please make room in your time with family and friends for Jesus. Don’t miss him. Don’t allow the business of this time of year to keep you from worshiping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Don’t let the hustle and bustle keep you from relationship and fellowship with our Savior. And don’t allow the yourself to be desensitized from the real meaning of this season, keeping you from celebrating Jesus and helping your fellow man.

So in an effort to make room for him and to allow yourself to experience what this season is really about, I encourage you to do two things:

1. Gather your family on Christmas and read or retell the Christmas story. Share with each other what Jesus coming to earth really means to you. God loves us so much he gave us Jesus, and Jesus loves us so much he came. It is beautiful to the saved, and is life-saving to the lost.

2. Do something this year for someone else that makes a difference. That will be different things for everyone, but maybe it is a special gift to a friend in need, a donation to a church benevolence fund or Christian organization, or even a visit to someone in your neighborhood who has little or no family. God gave everything for us. What can you give or do to show compassion and his love to others? A flat screen TV is great, but nothing can compare to the gift of Jesus.

Have a wonderful Christmas this year. Love your families, enjoy each other’s company over a meal, and go ahead and exchange some gifts! But don’t forget to make room for Jesus!

Isaiah 9:2-7
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Merry Christmas,
J