Too Busy for Jesus? by Rick Warren “She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” (Luke 2:7 NLT) One year when our children were young, my wife decided that I would get to choose where the family went on vacation. I decided I wanted to do a totally spontaneous vacation with no planning whatsoever. As a pastor and leader, every day of my life is planned out. Planning a vacation doesn’t sound like fun! A totally spontaneous vacation when you’re married with kids is not a good idea. Without making any plans on the first five nights of that vacation in five different cities, we slept in our car during four of those nights because we couldn’t find a motel with vacancy. My kids were not happy campers. On the fifth night, we decided to plan ahead. That vacation helped me understand what the Bible means when we’re told during the story of the first Christmas that there was “no lodging available” for Mary and Joseph. The coming of the eternal God and promised Messiah had been anticipated for thousands of years. Prophecies foretold the truth that the Savior of the world would be coming. His birth would be so important that it would split history into B.C. and A.D. Your birthday is dated in relationship to the birthday of Jesus. Yet when the Son of God came into the world, there was no room for Him. The innkeeper missed a prime opportunity. If Jesus had been born in one of his rooms, the innkeeper could have built one of those big Las Vegas signs that points down and reads, “Son of God Born Here!” He could have charged a fortune for rooms! Instead he missed the biggest blessing of his life because he didn’t have room for Jesus. We can’t be too harsh on the innkeeper for not having room for Jesus. We do it all the time. We all resist giving Him the importance in our lives that He deserves. We fill up our schedule with events that pale in significance compared to Jesus. We spend our money on the newest gadget and have nothing to give to God’s work around the world. We spend all our time advancing our careers and yet say we have no time to help others in our church and community. As you prepare to celebrate Christmas this year, ask yourself this question: Have you left room in your inn for Jesus? Power Verses: Amplified Bible Luke2:6-7, 6 And while they were there, the time came for her delivery, 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 roomor place for them in the inn. John 1:14, 14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. Just A Thought: The fulness of time was now come, when God would send forth His Son, made of a woman, and made under the law. The circumstances of His birth were very mean. Christ was born at an inn; He came into the world to sojourn here for awhile, as at an inn, and to teach us to do likewise. We are become by sin like an outcast infant, helpless and forlorn; and such a one was Christ. He well knew how unwilling we are to be meanly lodged, clothed, or fed; how we desire to have our children decorated and indulged; how apt the poor are to envy the rich, and how prone the rich to disdain the poor. But when we by faith view the Son of God being made man and lying in a manger, our vanity, ambition, and envy are checked. We cannot, with this object rightly before us, seek great things for ourselves or our children. Reference: Matthew Henrys Concise Commentary Talk It Over: * What are some ways we fill our “inns” and leave little room for Jesus during Christmas — and throughout the year? * How can you create margin in your Christmas schedule to focus on the importance of Jesus? * What are some things in your life you need to say “no” to so you can say “yes” to a growing, vibrant relationship with Jesus? Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 7:35, 35 Now I say this for your own welfare and profit, not to put [a halter of] restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly and in good order and to secure your undistracted and undivided devotion to the Lord. In Reflection: * Let us reflect on the advantages and snares of our own condition in life; that we may improve the one, and escape as far as possible all injury from the other. And whatever cares press upon the mind, let time still be kept for the things of the Lord. Devotion is the act of devotedness or devoutness; manifestation of strong attachment; act of worship; prayer. Prayer promotes and shows are devotion to Jesus. Our choices show who we are devoted to. Act of devotedness or devoutness; manifestation of strong attachment; act of worship; prayer. Prayer promotes the spirit of devotion, while devotion is favourable to the best praying. Devotion furthers prayer and helps to drive prayer home to the object which it seeks. The very essence of prayer is the spirit of devotion. Without devotion prayer is an empty form, a vain round of words. We need the spirit of devotion, not only to salt our secularities, but to make praying real prayers. We need to put the spirit of devotion into Mondays business as well as in Sundays worship. We need the spirit of devotion, to recollect always the presence of God, to be always doing the will of God, to direct all things always to the glory of God. The spirit of devotion puts God in all things. It puts God not merely in our praying and Church going, but in all the concerns of life. Reference: The Essentials of Prayer — Edward M. Bounds via biblos Topic Devotion ; Matthew Henrys Concise Commentary; Dictionary of Bible Themes Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Smartphone
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 14:46:11 +0000
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