Luke 2:7 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.

Essentially everyone in America knows this verse, and particularly in recent years I have heard many people claim it means that Mary and Joseph were essentially homeless, when that isn’t the case. Infrastructure wasn’t at all then what it is today, and given the size of Bethlehem, there’s a reasonable probability that there was indeed only one inn. With the census going on, which was after all why Mary and Joseph were there in the first place, it isn’t surprising that the inn was full. However, Matthew indicates that not long after the birth they were in a house, which they must have either rented or even bought. (Matthew 2:11) Had the innkeeper known who was at his door, he might well have evicted one or more of his other guests to make room, but that isn’t what happened. The point is that the Messiah isn’t pushy: He didn’t evict anyone to make room for Himself. Today, Jesus desires to enter people’s hearts, but will do so only as they make room; He won’t force His way in. We tend to fill our hearts with all sorts of things, when Christ is the only thing that will satisfy. Likewise, the Holy Spirit will flow into every nook and cranny if we will welcome Him, but we have to open the door. Even after salvation, most of us have things in our hearts that take up room that should be devoted to God alone, and that is a big part of what spiritual growth is all about. The more room we give Him, the more He takes up residence, that that is glorious indeed.

I’m preaching to myself here. As long as I’ve walked with the Lord, as many spiritual advantages as I’ve been given, I have to admit that I still fail to yield things to God all too often. Physically speaking I’m a great scrounger, delighting to find useful things others have discarded. That’s not such a big problem, but when I start scrounging things spiritually, that is a big problem. I encounter things every day: challenges, problems, insults, hurts, anxieties. I need to face each one honestly, without setting them up in my heart to occupy room that belongs only to the King of kings. Just as I have difficulty letting go of physical things, I need to be aggressive in letting go of things spiritually and emotionally. That doesn’t mean I’m to be an emotionless zombie, but rather that I’m to hang onto Christ alone, and not to any of the other stuff that passes through. And having said that, I realize that as a pastor, I need to help others do the same thing. I certainly can’t do that in my own wisdom and strength!

Father, thank You for once again pointing out my complete dependence on Christ. As Jesus said, apart from Him I can do nothing. (John 15:5) Help me deal with the junk in my own heart so that, filled with Your presence by Your Spirit, I may be able to help others as well. May neither I individually nor the church as a whole quench or grieve Your Spirit, but allow You to flow through us unhindered, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!