For many the Christmas story is as familiar as the route to work,  and because of its familiarity, we  oftimes don’t notice what’s en-route .

I’ve been pondering the Christmas story, and am very aware of inaccuracies and discrepancies people point out… yet despite those I do believe God would have us know the story of Jesus’ birth, as vague as some would make it out to be!

I found that Luke’s account tells us that the couple, Joseph and Mary had to find a place for their son to be born in a place where the animals were housed because there wasn’t a lodging room available.

It may have been, according to some accounts, that there never was an “innkeeper “ – but that the lodging rooms, that should have been available with family, were not given to the couple because of the disgrace of her pregnancy… they were rejected by family!

Or… it maybe that the place they were planning to stay was too busy and they needed to find somewhere where their baby could be born.

The thing that has played around my head is not the details or inaccuracies, but the fact that still, today, in the time we live in, it’s so easy to have “no room” for Jesus, or at best to put Him in an outhouse where we won’t be bothered by Him! Maybe because we are embarrassed to be associated with Him and what we think we believe, or maybe, because we are just too busy with life, and people, and demands, and, and, and…

Christmas is a time of reflection and I have found myself challenged as to what “room” I give to Jesus in my life.

Am I too busy to walk beside Him, letting Him be God in my life? Or too busy trying to do good things to show Him, or others, “my faith”? Or just too busy to give Him time, thought and consideration?

Too busy to recognise His hand on my life? And to reflect on the extraordinary thing that He did in becoming a human, living and growing in a messy, fallen world, like me, and being challenged by all the contradictory philosophies around?

Am I too caught up with the political issues (a census?!), or people, or business?

Or maybe I do give “a” room in my life … but not the freedom of the whole house… or even just pack Him off in some stable where I’ve done my bit but don’t need to let Him into my heart?

Oh the challenge of Christmas… and I don’t mean the presents for all, the food and preparations… I mean the challenge of God being a baby and growing up, and living, dying and living to give me … everything. What a gift!

Make room today… more room – for God!

Happy Christmas!