There Was No Room…

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
(Refrain 1-4):
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.
The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.
Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word,
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.
When the heav’ns shall ring, and her choirs shall sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee.”
Refrain 5:
My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.

Christmas is a time of gathering:  with friends or family, co-workers or congregations.  But, as we gather, we must make room– room for a tree; room for decorations; room for tables laden with food and drink; room for guests; room for gifts; “room” in our schedules–for shopping, programs and parties, travel time, etc.

We spend a large part of the holiday season making room for all these things.  We plan ahead, and rearrange our lives and rooms for all the trappings of Christmas.  Do we make room for the Christ?

God planned from the beginning for the incarnation. He sent word through the patriarchs and prophets that He would come, but He  made no reservations or detailed plans for His arrival in the humble town of Bethlehem. And while the Christ child received gifts from the Wise Men (see yesterday’s post), He asked for none.  He asked for no great halls filled with feasting and merriment. All He asked for was room–and there was none.  Bethlehem was flooded with visitors.  Everyone was busy with the census, pre-occupied with annoyances, worries, taxes, paperwork, registrations, and more.  The residents of the town, who might otherwise have shown great concern and even generosity toward a visiting young couple expecting their first child, could not be bothered to find help for this family.

At its heart, Christmas is all about making room– but not just for the glitter and comforts and the expected guests– we have the opportunity to make room for the wonder that arrives unannounced, and even inconvenient; for the realization that God often arrives as an unexpected guest.

We don’t often celebrate Las Posadas in the bitter cold of Michigan, but it’s a wonderful tradition that reminds us of this very truth.  For nine nights before Christmas, people throughout neighborhoods in Mexico and Guatemala parade through the streets re-enacting the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.  A couple representing the expectant parents go door to door, asking for shelter.  Door after door is closed to them, until they arrive at a house that has been designated as La Posada (the lodging), where the entire group will be welcomed in to warmth and celebration.  Click here to see a more detailed description:   https://www.franciscanmedia.org/las-posadas-a-mexican-christmas-tradition/

I pray that we will always have room in our hearts for the Christ– and for all those whom He loves.  As we make room for all the trappings of Christmas, let’s not fill the space and time with so much that we crowd out the real reason for the season!