Prepare Him Room

The streets are full and the schedule is fuller. Traffic is backed up as shoppers are rushing to pick up all the necessities for Christmas breakfast,Christmas dinner, and let us not forget the baking supplies for all the yummy Christmas cookies! Gifts are being carefully selected and thoughtfully wrapped. Decorations are hung with all the Christmas cheer. There are parties and banquets and so many things to keep us busy this time of year. 

With all of the hustle and endless “to-dos,” it can be hard to slow down to ponder the makings of our redemption, the birth of our Christ, Savior of the world. This year, though, I’ve been challenging myself to prepare Him room. 

What does that mean?

It’s an unrushed time of reflection in scripture, prayer, and inviting God into this moment. 

P.R.E.P.A.R.E.

P - Plan a time & place - part of unrushing is planning the time to be unrushed and to take in these moments. 

R - Repent - make your heart ready to receive and take time to repent. 

E - Embrace the silence - be fully present in the moment. 

P - Pursue His presence - As you unrush your Spirit, pursue the presence of God in this time and pray for an awareness of Him around you. His name is called Emmanuel - “God with us.” He is with you in this moment. 

A - Ask Him to open your heart and mind and acknowledge Him. 

R - Rest in Him, and Reflect on His goodness. He was born, so that we could be born again. 

E - Expect Him to meet you. So often we are rushing and moving and focused on all of the “doing” that we miss being in the moment. Don’t get so caught up being on-mission, that you miss being with Him. Expect Him to meet you and be with you, and speak to you. Even through these chapters that you must have read a hundred times before - expect Him to show up in a way you haven’t seen before. 

Let’s read the Christmas Story a little differently together this year. We can tend to speed up through the parts we know. When you catch yourself doing that, pause and reflect on what you read.

Take your time over the next week to read through:

• Luke 1: 1-58

• Luke 2:1-20

Read slowly and intentionally. Stop and reflect as often as needed.

I feel a sense of unrushing and rest in my spirit sitting with my tea and Bible in the warm and comforting glow from the Christmas tree lights. There is still cookies to bake, shopping to do, and so much preparing to do…but in especially this time set aside, it is about preparing Him room. My heart is open to whatever He wants to do.

“So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:6-7

There was no room in the inn, but can we prepare room in our hearts?

Prepare Him room in your heart today.

Have a blessed Christmas! ~Brittany