No Room at the Inn; Is There Room in Your Heart?

Luke 2:4-7: "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

These verses here speaks about the savior, Jesus, who was born to Mary, and didn't have a place to sleep. They had tried to get a room at the inn, but the inn keepers turned them down, so Mary had to place her baby in a manger, which is a trough for animals. Because there was no room at the inn, Jesus had to sleep in a place that was made for animals to eat out of. The savior of the world had to sleep in a place that we wouldn't think of putting our children in today. It sounds like a pretty awful way to treat our savior, doesn't it?

This situation got me thinking. Do we do the same thing to Jesus in our lives? Do we let him into our lives and hearts, or do we send him away? Many times in my life, I push God away, and put Him out in the cold. This is no way to treat the One who saved us from eternity in Hell, and gave us a spot in Heaven.

Not only for this Christmas season, but throughout your life, make sure there's room for Jesus in your life. Don't put Him out in the cold because that isn't what He did with us. He has given us the greatest gift in the world; salvation and a Heavenly home. Give God a place in your heart, and you will see the blessings from His presence.

Mary, the Chosen Servant of God

Mary and Joseph were engaged to be married when an angel came unto Mary, telling her that she was to become pregnant with the Son of God, Jesus. Mary questioned the angel, seeing that she hadn't been with a man. Though, Mary had faith saying, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38). 

The term, handmaid, ultimately means servant. According to Google, a servant is someone who is "a devoted and helpful follower or supporter," which is exactly what Mary was. Mary was telling the angel that she was willing to give her entire life for God and abide by His word, even when it seemed completely crazy to her. Today, if a woman was to tell us that God had given her a baby, without being with a man, we would think she had lost her mind. Same goes for Mary, who was shocked by the angel's words, but still stood by God.

Doubting God when He tells us that something is going to happen, even when it may seem impossible, is preventing us from furthering our faith in God. If we want God to use us in his ministry, we must be like Mary, and have strong faith in Him, no matter what the request is. God works in mysterious and amazing ways. God's will isn't always going to be obvious, and we have to be prepared to face the worst or strangest sometimes. 

Mary's life turned out incredibly well, and it was all because she kept her faith in God. She could have turned away from God, and brushed the ridiculous words off her shoulder, but instead, she chose to embrace the words of God, and accept any ridicule that may have came her way for the way that her becoming pregnant looked to the world. Because of her faith, she became one of the greatest roles in the history of the world; Jesus' mother. 

In life, there are going to be plenty of challenges that comes our way. God will test our faith with requests that may seem ridiculous, and might bring a lot of ridicule from others into our life, but if we choose God, He will carry us through. Mary trusted in God, and He brought her through, and she received blessings beyond belief. God will do the same for us if we stand for Him. God has the ability to use us in great ways in the world, and we have to be willing to  abide by His word to do so. He wants the most faithful and trusting servants to represent Him, and if we do so, God will shine our light out into the world.