Luke 2:6-7 AMPC
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 room or place for them in the inn.
Walking around our housing estate or driving into town right now is like viewing the Blackpool illuminations!
Flashing, twinkling lights dangle from houses or are wrapped around trees.
Inflatable Santa's "climb" up walls and other inexplicable illuminated objects adorn gardens.
I've even seen a plastic penguine - how did that get into the picture!?
Yet there is one key missing person - the Christ of Christ-mas!
Jesus began His earthly life as an outsider and today there is still "no room" for Him in the majority of the festivities.
We are even now re-naming it the winter "holiday" season.
Back in Bethlehem, insiders at the "Holiday Inn" had no idea that the couple outside were ushering in the Saviour of the World.
They were too comfy-cosy in their indifference to notice Mary and Joseph's plight out there.
Wouldn't you have thought that someone would have had compassion on them and given up their room?
Mums, imagine being heavily pregnant, going on a week long trek, to arrive in an unwelcoming town.
Then, going into labour, without any proper shelter or maternity facilities!
Dad's, imagine being Joseph, desperately trying to find a place for Mary to have Jesus, but then having to help with the delivery outside - a messy business indeed!
We're not told of any more details, but it was a starkly scary time for the couple.
Perhaps we should recognise Jesus in the faces of the homeless, the lonely, the grieving or the sick - where there's no room for them in the shut doors of our festivities.
I say to my own soul: "Give Jesus pride of place, make room for Him, not just at Christmas - may He always have centre stage in my heart."
Let Jesus be our blessed "Insider", not on the outside of our lives this Christmas.
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