As the season of Christmas begins, the same thing God found in Mary is what He is looking for in each of us – God is looking for room. He is looking for availability. Who has room for the Christ-child to be “born” in them? Who has created the space for Him to dwell?
Notice the lyric of this beloved Christmas hymn doesn’t say, “Let every heart find room.” Very few of us could just find space when it’s needed. We are directed to prepare that room that He will occupy in our hearts, our lives. We must prepare (which means “make ready for use”) – it does not happen automatically and we won’t just stumble upon the space. In fact the opposite is what seems to naturally take place… so many other things easily and subtly crowd into my heart, my mind, my priorities and my life that when I stop and really look around, I realize that, somehow, almost all the space has been claimed or given away.
Preparing Him room takes intentional reorganizing. Moreso, it takes intentional living to leave that room available and not let it get cluttered back up.
Allan and I have a guest room in our home. Its purpose is to be a space where guests can occupy. But the inevitable seems to happen all the time – it becomes cluttered with other things. Most recently, there have been boxes of Christmas decorations all over the guest bed and items from our car placed in the corner of the room and clean laundry that is waiting to be folded is laid over the table. We have to prepare that room when guests come, and you can be sure, when they are there, we’ll find somewhere else for our laundry and boxes and random items – we don’t crowd the room with it all!
The truth is, we prepare room when we are expecting someone. We go through our guest room and reorganize and reprioritize what is in there, what can be moved and rearranged. We take things back to where they belong to create the space needed.
Are we expecting Jesus to come and occupy? To come and dwell? Our expectation is seen in our preparation.
Let EVERY heart PREPARE Him room… can I encourage you to do so today? Prepare for Him. In the busy-ness of the end of year, especially this year, with all its unique challenges, take the time to prepare for Him to take the center-place of everything. Look around and see where Christ has been crowded out of your life, whether intentionally or unintentionally. What areas might He not find space in your heart or in your priorities? Identify where there is “no room in the inn” and begin to reorganize. Once again, prepare Him room.
This lyric encourages our hearts to prepare. Your heart represents the center of your emotions and will, your passions and pursuits, your priorities and thoughts and motives – have you created the room for Jesus there?
May we keep Christ at the center, as the purpose and the reason, of it all! For when He is there, He brings JOY to your world!
Prayer: Lord, may I not give You a dusty, tiny, left-over corner to occupy that is out of my way. Instead, may I sweep my heart and life clean of all the clutter, all the bad things AND the good things that have been given too much space. May You find my WHOLE heart and my WHOLE life ready for You to occupy, ready and prepared for You to come in and dwell. Amen.
Rebekah Dawn 