What are you making room for this Christmas?

I wonder, what are the 3 things you can’t do without at Christmas? Perhaps it’s traditions you always do: that Christmas film you always watch; that Christmas tree topper you always have; that song you have on repeat Or perhaps for you it’s about people: that family member you laugh with; that group of friends you go for a meal with; that colleague who has the best Christmas jumpers.

We all tend to have our way of doing Christmas. In my family growing up we always opened our stockings together in my parents’ room, but one year my brother decided to open his by himself in his room and I was really upset because, well, that’s not how we do Christmas!

So, what is it that you make room for at Christmas? Do you make room for one more mince pie, one more bauble on the tree, one more decoration idea you’ve seen on ticktock? Or perhaps it’s the opposite for you and it’s more like a cry of help: how will I make room for all my family, how will I make room for all the new toys, how will I make room for all the food in my fridge!?

But somehow, we do make room for these things, because we make room for what is important to us.

The Christmas story is a story of making room for Jesus. All those who were a part of the story had to make room for Jesus in different ways.

Mary, a young woman preparing to marry Joseph, had her whole life turned upside down when the angel Gabriel appeared and told her she had found favour with God. That she would be with child and give birth to a son, whom she was to call Jesus. And how did Mary respond to this news the angel told her? Well, she was probably very shocked, but then she says I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said. Mary altered her whole life; she trusted God and in doing so she made room for Jesus.

 Joseph too was getting ready to marry Mary and start their life together when he discovered that Mary was expecting a child. What was he to do? His reputation would be ruined, how could he still marry her? But then an angel came to him too, and said do not be afraid. Joseph chose to trust God and trust his plan. But just as he did this, a decree came from Caesar that they had to return to Bethlehem, which meant a tricky journey whilst Mary was very pregnant. Again, Jospeh chose to trust God in the unexpected turn of events, he was obedient in continuing to love and care for Mary. Joseph made room in his life for Mary’s changed circumstances, and in doing so he made room for Jesus.

The innkeeper quite literally made room for Jesus! When there appeared to be no rooms available, the innkeeper offered what little he had so that Mary and Joseph could find a place to shelter in, and in doing so he made room for Jesus.

The shepherds were minding their own business in the fields near Bethlehem, keeping watch over their flocks, doing their job when out of nowhere an angel appeared and said do not be afraid for today the saviour has been born. Then a whole host of angels appeared and sang glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all men. When the shepherds recovered from the shock, they had a choice to make, did they stay watching their flocks and act as if nothing had changed, or did they go and find the baby, the Saviour of the world laying in a manger? The Shepherds chose to trust what the angels told them was true, and they left their fields to go and worship at the feet of the baby who has changed everything, and in doing so they made room for Jesus.

The wisemen arrived in Jerusalem to ask where the child was who has been born the king of the Jews. They followed the star and found Mary and Jospeh with the child Jesus, and kneeling before him, they offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The wisemen chose to trust God’s leading as they followed the star, they offered what they had, and in doing so they made room for Jesus

Mary, Joseph, the innkeeper, the shepherds and the wisemen – they all made room for Jesus the first Christmas.

But how about us? What have we already chosen to make room for this Christmas? What are we still going to make room for? Are we going to make room for Jesus this Christmas?

Making room for one thing means making space, and often means choosing to make room for that thing instead of another. Like Mary had to lay down the life she was expecting to live, and instead choose to trust God and make room as she chose to follow the new direction God was calling her to take. But in choosing to make room, Mary got to meet Jesus, to know his love, to experience his joy and to encounter his peace.

As we celebrate Christmas, we remember how Jesus always makes room for us, how his love for us never ends, how God loves us so much that he sent his Son Jesus to earth as a baby to rescue us and so that we might meet Him and live our lives trusting and following him.

And like Mary, Jospeh, the innkeeper, the shepherds and the wisemen – we have a choice to make in response to God’s invitation to make room for Jesus? Will we make room for Him this Christmas?

Because if we do, like Mary and all the others, we get to meet Jesus, to know his love, to experience his joy and to encounter his peace.

– Miriam Thurlow, Ministry Lead for Leaders in Training