Though everyone had a different idea of what it was to welcome the Messiah, Jesus chose to come to a simple, dirty stable to be among a broken people. That brings me much hope this Christmas season. Confession: I've not played Christmas music, we haven't started our Advent readings or Jesse Tree, and there are zero wrapped gifts under the tree.
But, today, I'm unpacking boxes and finding my bedroom floor, not to wow the King, but for this heart to prepare Him room right where I'm at in the season I'm in...with exactly what He's given me to do. It's possible that organizing closets and choosing to be patient in the midst of chaos is decking the halls this year.
And reluctantly, I'm finding day by day...the tuning of my heart directly relates to what blessings I recognize. I can choose to see His grace in the dusty, disheveled corners of my life...or I can focus on how unready, unprepared, unqualified I feel...to welcome Emmanuel.
Preparing Him room is about being available to surrender whatever it is you have wherever it is you are. It's being grateful for a stable when there's no room at the inn. It's rejoicing at His timing and wisdom, even when it makes no sense. It's making room in your heart to believe that God's story of redemption is so much bigger than our story of waiting or fear.
Mary and Joseph knew something of preparing Him room in those ways. And, gratefully, this year, so do I.
Wherever this Christmas season finds us this year, Lord, tune our heart to sing Thy praise!
