Thursday, December 22, 2011

No Vacancy

I remember as a child being upset about the part of the Christmas account where Mary and Joseph could not find lodging to birth the infant Jesus comfortably and safely.

Of course the facts became a tale embellished with visions of ancient hotels and inns with "No Vacancy" signs and mean irascible inn keepers happily shooing the desperate couple away to their final destination of a smelly stable complete with all of the barnyard inhabitants.

OK, maybe it wasn't exactly that way, but one thing is for sure, and that is there simply wasn't any room in the world for Jesus. That's what it is about.

Here, look:

Luke 2:7 - "And she gave birth to her Son, her Firstborn; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room or place for them in the inn."

BECAUSE ties it together. They had to endure whatever it was they endured BECAUSE there was no room for them. No room for THEM means no room for JESUS.

The entire Christmas saga boils down to that one simple truth.

Jesus came from heaven to be born into human flesh (Incarnation), and was NEVER welcomed from that day until the day He went to the cross.

He was run out of towns. He was pursued by angry mobs. He had various attempts made on His life. He was plotted against. He was betrayed by His closest confidants.

He was resurrected three days after His crucifixion and has still never been accepted into the vast majority of the human race.

He takes His acceptance where He finds it.

In the manger of the believer.

In the worlds eyes, we who truly worship the Christ (I say truly to differentiate from the hypocrite who praises Jesus on Sunday but uses His Name as a cuss word the rest of the week), are basically guilty of harboring a criminal.

Jesus knew that was coming and warned us in John 16. He was hated. We will be hated.

I can live with that. Jesus knew what rebel He was getting when He came for me.

I could give a rip what opinions are directed toward me behind my back or to my face.

The love of Christ endures in my heart and carries me on waves of joy through it all.

When we get to that place forgiveness and understanding for the worst offenses by others flow automatically.

I hope your "Vacancy" light is on this season. I hope you have prepared a comfortable and easy access for Jesus to find His way to you. If you have then perhaps you can help someone else find their way.

There is a lot more room for Him in you than you realize.

My hope for you all is that Jesus becomes very large in your life.

Be blessed!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><
www.reallifect.com

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