Hospitality At Christmas

The welcome into the world that Jesus received in Bethlehem is a fair illustration of the reception that is given to Him today when He is introduced to most people. 

Jesus lived from before the beginning of time in heaven. He is God.  He is glorious and full of light and beauty.  For love of us, Jesus was willing to leave the amazing beauty of heaven to come to earth to be with us.  Jesus entered a world unfit for his royal presence.  He was born in a shelter for animals and His cradle was a feeding trough used by the animals. The animal shelter would have been poorly lit and probably smelled pretty strongly of the animals and their food. 

Because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.   And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.  (Luke 2:4-7 NLT)

God's willingness to enter the world He created in this manner is a reason for us to be thankful.  We can be assured that we first don't have to clean up our lives before we make room for Jesus to enter our hearts.  When we invite Him into our hearts, He accepts us just where we are.  God has the remedy for sin.  God comes to us in the muck and mire of our lives and says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. (Matthew 11:28 NIV)

No matter how dark and unworthy we believe ourselves to be today, God is ready to come and live in us.  He will shine the light of His glory upon us and begin the process of helping us get to know Jesus, the amazing King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ.  (2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV)

All Jesus waits for is the hospitality of a repentant heart, and an invitation to come in and live in us.  This is the true purpose of Christmas which we celebrate.

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. (Revelation 3:20 NLT)

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