By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012
PHOTO: There was no room at the inn (Luke 2:7). Joseph prayed a silent prayer, wondering what to do. The sun was setting and darkness came quickly. The small town of Bethlehem was bursting at its seams with long-lost sons and daughters. Augustus Caesar, the Roman emperor, had decreed that a census be taken and hundreds of thousands were affected. They had to return to their hometowns to register their names.
When Joseph first heard about the decree, he started to worry. Mary was expecting. Yes, he had come to realise that this was not an ordinary child. The angels had appeared to him and told him about it. He did not understand it fully, but he realised that he was dealing with heavenly mystery here. Still, they had to travel about a hundred miles from familiar Nazareth, where he had friends and relatives, to Bethlehem, where he knew no one. How would he and Mary cope, especially at this crucial time?
Mary groaned, quiet but sounding in pain, jolting Joseph from his thoughts. He went about searching for a place where Mary could deliver the child safely. But all the inns were full. They were turned away at every place. Joseph increased his pace as he realised the urgency of the situation. He had to do something about it. If he were a rich man, he could have easily found a place. Innkeepers would have readily made space for them, even if it meant throwing out other guests. Joseph did not know powerful people who could have helped him. For a nobody, life could be tough.
Finally, Mary and Joseph had no choice. They found a stable and had to settle for it. In that place crowded with animals and filled with their sounds and smell, the Son of God was born. A very unusual place to choose to be born. In his best selling book, The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey describes the way rulers in our world stride about with pomp (ceremony and splendid display). He observes: "Queen Elizabeth II had recently visited the United States, and reporters delighted in spelling out the logistics involved: her four thousand pounds of luggage included two outfits for every occasion, a mourning outfit in case someone died, forty pints of plasma, and . . . She brought along her own hairdresser, tow valets (servants performing personal services), and a host of other attendants. A brief visit of royalty to a foreign country can easily cost twenty million dollars." [1a]
What a great difference the visit of our Lord was. He was born in very humble circumstances. His immediate witnesses were dumb animals and poor people. Which parent would understand why God would send His Son to be born in a place like this? Paul describes Jesus as emptying himself when He left the throne room of heaven for a humble stable in an obscure (unknown) town. He could have chosen to be born in a place, in the corridors of power, in the laps of luxury, wealth, and privilege. But on that night, God stood with the poor and downtrodden, the simple and ordinary people. It was a sign that His kingdom, power, and glory were of a different kind.
Christ was born in a stable not only because of His humility, character, mission, and message, but also because there was no room for Him at the inn. If the innkeeper had known, would that have made a difference? Could he have found some room for Jesus?
The picture of Jesus standing at the door and knocking is familiar to most Christians. Many of us become Christians by asking Jesus to enter our hearts as Lord and Saviour. And what a joy it is when Christ enters a human heart and makes it His dwelling place.
But all too often, our initial joy and fervour erode with time. Like the church in Ephesus, many Christians forsake their first love (Revelation 2:4). Their lives become crowded with things - ambitions, distractions, and relationships that draw them away from Jesus, Their minds become cluttered with unimportant things. The marketplace concerns of their daily lives crowd out the Master's concerns for them. If they are not careful, their preoccupations become their idols. Such idols are like cancers, pushing out that which is life-giving. The result is spiritual malaise (discomfort) and the inner life wasting away.
Let us not be like old Bethlehem, which failed to recognise the King and give Him His proper place. Let us recognise that He came to a place which had no room for Him so that we could each have a place prepared for us in the Father's house (John 14:2). He entered the humble stable so that we could enter the throne room of heaven. He was placed in a manger (the animals' feeding box) so that we could be placed on His firm and sturdy shoulders. Though the world had no room for Jesus, God has much room for each of us in His heart. Such is His persistent and enduring love for us. His Son's birth into this sad and lonely world could not be stopped by anything - certainly not by a "no vacancy" sign at an inn.
Christmas is a good time to clear out all that prevents us from loving God with all our hearts. It is a wonderful opportunity to make space for God in our lives. In his classic booklet, My Hearts - Christ's Home, Presbyterian pastor Robert Boyd Munger describes the turning point when one's heart is handed over to Jesus. [2] The Lord is no longer the guest but the owner and master of the heart. We too can give Jesus room in our hearts and invite Him in, not as a guest but as owner and master. We must invite Him not into the a guest room of our heart, but into the throne room.
Why not clear your heart of all those unwelcome guests who keep Jesus from having His rightful place? Is there room for Him? Let us honour Jesus by giving Him His rightful place in our hearts.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSJKozgGQVeQWdkI_HSuw1slUXbd1Nx1aLNUpf4RqyFlkot1Xsw-EG4BD86ezsM-NyuAuz4827zpP9N5pu2U4_YVbkdHy9_7e0rLoagk4tPpkshX9YyUyebbw3grmyvVCA6pUaXDkneubWwaAI0wGQZ7Sm-UqWq6RhS9BgXmbMTnh8WSawNWJvIhn900/s1000/GID6bESXkAArEgV.jpg
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There was no room at the inn (Luke 2:7). Joseph prayed a silent prayer, wondering what to do. The sun was setting and darkness came quickly. The small town of Bethlehem was bursting at its seams with long-lost sons and daughters. Augustus Caesar, the Roman emperor, had decreed that a census be taken and hundreds of thousands were affected. They had to return to their hometowns to register their names.
PHOTO: There was no room at the inn (Luke 2:7). Joseph prayed a silent prayer, wondering what to do. The sun was setting and darkness came quickly. The small town of Bethlehem was bursting at its seams with long-lost sons and daughters. Augustus Caesar, the Roman emperor, had decreed that a census be taken and hundreds of thousands were affected. They had to return to their hometowns to register their names.
Picture posted by PX Pixel - Journey to Bethlehem
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https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/journey-to-bethlehem-samuel-epperly.jpg
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When Joseph first heard about the decree, he started to worry. Mary was expecting. Yes, he had come to realise that this was not an ordinary child. The angels had appeared to him and told him about it. He did not understand it fully, but he realised that he was dealing with heavenly mystery here. Still, they had to travel about a hundred miles from familiar Nazareth, where he had friends and relatives, to Bethlehem, where he knew no one. How would he and Mary cope, especially at this crucial time?
PHOTO: When Joseph first heard about the decree, he started to worry. Mary was expecting. Yes, he had come to realise that this was not an ordinary child. The angels had appeared to him and told him about it. He did not understand it fully, but he realised that he was dealing with heavenly mystery here.
Picture posted by Syndication Cloud on 28 March 2021 at 9:51 pm CDT (Central Daylight Time)
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https://www.kten.com/story/43565394/37-signs-you-are-an-earth-angel
Mary groaned, quiet but sounding in pain, jolting Joseph from his thoughts. He went about searching for a place where Mary could deliver the child safely. But all the inns were full. They were turned away at every place. Joseph increased his pace as he realised the urgency of the situation. He had to do something about it. If he were a rich man, he could have easily found a place. Innkeepers would have readily made space for them, even if it meant throwing out other guests. Joseph did not know powerful people who could have helped him. For a nobody, life could be tough.
PHOTO: Mary groaned, quiet but sounding in pain, jolting Joseph from his thoughts. He went about searching for a place where Mary could deliver the child safely. But all the inns were full. They were turned away at every place. Joseph increased his pace as he realised the urgency of the situation. He had to do something about it. If he were a rich man, he could have easily found a place. Innkeepers would have readily made space for them, even if it meant throwing out other guests. Joseph did not know powerful people who could have helped him. For a nobody, life could be tough.
Picture posted by Dreamstime - Nativity Mary and Joseph
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Finally, Mary and Joseph had no choice. They found a stable and had to settle for it. In that place crowded with animals and filled with their sounds and smell, the Son of God was born. A very unusual place to choose to be born. In his best selling book, The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey describes the way rulers in our world stride about with pomp (ceremony and splendid display). He observes: "Queen Elizabeth II had recently visited the United States, and reporters delighted in spelling out the logistics involved: her four thousand pounds of luggage included two outfits for every occasion, a mourning outfit in case someone died, forty pints of plasma, and . . . She brought along her own hairdresser, tow valets (servants performing personal services), and a host of other attendants. A brief visit of royalty to a foreign country can easily cost twenty million dollars." [1a]
PHOTO: "Queen Elizabeth II had recently visited the United States, and reporters delighted in spelling out the logistics involved: her four thousand pounds of luggage included two outfits for every occasion, a mourning outfit in case someone died, forty pints of plasma, and . . . She brought along her own hairdresser, tow valets (servants performing personal services), and a host of other attendants. A brief visit of royalty to a foreign country can easily cost twenty million dollars." [1a]
Picture posted by Andy Boreham 安柏然 @AndyBxxx on 09 September 2022 at 07:19 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTtuXWImtayFVWpUtHgAq6XMU7YuWUlNpwzQ9NP5MO41wN09pEl_EKRjGPDWoQrT3ZiZPk3UtSGkAn7IE3saeZBziOcsBMn5nkP1da1pjrbCKfXVgQHjXz33M8MpfmLHZQUSwLrwjW7KgvHUIc3SBvW2n13QmtNQQFL01R6ruWd-GR848Gi_sTBsphRI/s1259/FcK2V6PaUAAyjiF.jpg
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What a great difference the visit of our Lord was. He was born in very humble circumstances. His immediate witnesses were dumb animals and poor people. Which parent would understand why God would send His Son to be born in a place like this? Paul describes Jesus as emptying himself when He left the throne room of heaven for a humble stable in an obscure (unknown) town. He could have chosen to be born in a place, in the corridors of power, in the laps of luxury, wealth, and privilege. But on that night, God stood with the poor and downtrodden, the simple and ordinary people. It was a sign that His kingdom, power, and glory were of a different kind.
Christ was born in a stable not only because of His humility, character, mission, and message, but also because there was no room for Him at the inn. If the innkeeper had known, would that have made a difference? Could he have found some room for Jesus?
PHOTO: Mary and Joseph had no choice. They found a stable and had to settle for it. In that place crowded with animals and filled with their sounds and smell, the Son of God was born. A very unusual place to choose to be born. Christ was born in a stable not only because of His humility, character, mission, and message, but also because there was no room for Him at the inn. If the innkeeper had known, would that have made a difference? Could he have found some room for Jesus?
Picture posted by Gun Runner Shooting Sports on Tuesday, 12 December 2023 at 11:16 pm
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebLY47LaSVjWNeSJYTmOsWxuRrjPWsuddl9l3D2KpzWqP7C8MwK2LuTGpT3CiHLKimYQQyemiqa4pBSjg462wYtHnhtt7VEybv1xfsjavLJhU6Yok5RtK1DWekRBaarhvnq1yb6lSB_aaaypPZIQAXfK5iSHn6BoKQRsy0d88K8pTe-Y2FMshf1gLbbk/s1124/410337430_18086146768394829_4598850484289358775_n.jpg
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1207048663542663&set=pb.100027126230808.-2207520000
The picture of Jesus standing at the door and knocking is familiar to most Christians. Many of us become Christians by asking Jesus to enter our hearts as Lord and Saviour. And what a joy it is when Christ enters a human heart and makes it His dwelling place.
But all too often, our initial joy and fervour erode with time. Like the church in Ephesus, many Christians forsake their first love (Revelation 2:4). Their lives become crowded with things - ambitions, distractions, and relationships that draw them away from Jesus, Their minds become cluttered with unimportant things. The marketplace concerns of their daily lives crowd out the Master's concerns for them. If they are not careful, their preoccupations become their idols. Such idols are like cancers, pushing out that which is life-giving. The result is spiritual malaise (discomfort) and the inner life wasting away.
PHOTO: The picture of Jesus standing at the door and knocking is familiar to most Christians. Many of us become Christians by asking Jesus to enter our hearts as Lord and Saviour. And what a joy it is when Christ enters a human heart and makes it His dwelling place.
Picture posted by The Church Of Jesus Christ - Jesus at the Door (Jesus Knocking at the Door)
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https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/image/jesus-at-the-door-342168c?lang=eng
Let us not be like old Bethlehem, which failed to recognise the King and give Him His proper place. Let us recognise that He came to a place which had no room for Him so that we could each have a place prepared for us in the Father's house (John 14:2). He entered the humble stable so that we could enter the throne room of heaven. He was placed in a manger (the animals' feeding box) so that we could be placed on His firm and sturdy shoulders. Though the world had no room for Jesus, God has much room for each of us in His heart. Such is His persistent and enduring love for us. His Son's birth into this sad and lonely world could not be stopped by anything - certainly not by a "no vacancy" sign at an inn.
PHOTO: He entered the humble stable so that we could enter the throne room of heaven. He was placed in a manger (the animals' feeding box) so that we could be placed on His firm and sturdy shoulders. Though the world had no room for Jesus, God has much room for each of us in His heart. Such is His persistent and enduring love for us. His Son's birth into this sad and lonely world could not be stopped by anything - certainly not by a "no vacancy" sign at an inn.
Artwork by Del Parson
Picture posted by The Church Of Jesus Christ - The Good Shepherd
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Christmas is a good time to clear out all that prevents us from loving God with all our hearts. It is a wonderful opportunity to make space for God in our lives. In his classic booklet, My Hearts - Christ's Home, Presbyterian pastor Robert Boyd Munger describes the turning point when one's heart is handed over to Jesus. [2] The Lord is no longer the guest but the owner and master of the heart. We too can give Jesus room in our hearts and invite Him in, not as a guest but as owner and master. We must invite Him not into the a guest room of our heart, but into the throne room.
Why not clear your heart of all those unwelcome guests who keep Jesus from having His rightful place? Is there room for Him? Let us honour Jesus by giving Him His rightful place in our hearts.
PHOTO: The Lord is no longer the guest but the owner and master of the heart. We too can give Jesus room in our hearts and invite Him in, not as a guest but as owner and master. We must invite Him not into the a guest room of our heart, but into the throne room.
Picture posted in Pinterest
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https://in.pinterest.com/pin/84935142967412369/
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, we pray that we clear our heart of all those unwelcome guests who keep Jesus from having His rightful place. May there be room for Him.
May we give Jesus room in our hearts and invite Him in, not as a guest but as owner and master. We must invite Him not into the a guest room of our heart, but into the throne room.
May we honour Jesus by giving Him His rightful place in our hearts.
Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen."
Picture posted by Radio Maria Tanzania on Tuesday, 17 December 2019 at 01:09 pm
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgpRkkDcSv4QQccWqsBaP-SeMvk3mT0oes-zG28NkBWTNhyphenhyphenJkyZr6LC4PT6Z1JYSKnWqlUYuEk6BUs6Nnuv2SUkWfmRJonmm7vbXYDu3R5V3KsfCWqRGCR3HkhimU4S-_s-KLLWdtGptnEYivijcOZRKmPc0LoMGEfdJwOIIT6ULKqJKh23vTBDCwh30/s892/80511135_3118423354839276_3006833383327137792_n_1.png
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https://www.facebook.com/radiomaria.tanzania/photos/kila-mwenye-pumzi-na-amsifu-mungu-aminamariholiday/3118423351505943/
Source (book): "Making All Things New", 52 Reflections to Challenge the Way You Live, Chapter 14, "A Place For God", Page 81.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html
"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html
"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html
"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html
"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html
"Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part I - III (Links), posted on Wednesday, 09 December 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part.html
Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part IV - V (Links), posted on Thursday, 22 April 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part_9.html
"Teach Us to Number Our Days", © 2008 by David Roper
Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 1 - 40 (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 November 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2021/11/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-1-40.html
Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 41 - 64 (Links), posted on Wednesday, 16 March 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/03/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-41.html
Reflection - He Walks with Me (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 August 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/08/reflection-he-walks-with-me-links.html
"Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Copyright © 2021 by Our Daily Bread Ministries
Reflection - Classic Gem, Chapter 1 - 45 (Links), posted on 03 April 2023
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2023/04/reflection-classic-gem-chapter-1-45.html
"Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Copyright © 2021 by Our Daily Bread Ministries
Reflection - Classic Gem, Chapter 46 - 90 (Links), posted on Tuesday, 24 October 2023
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2023/10/reflection-classic-gem-chapter-46-90.html
[1a] Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995), 37.
[2] Robert Boyd Munger, My Hearts - Christ's Home, 2nd rev. ed. (Downer's Grove InterVarsity Press, 1992), https://www.usna.edu/Navigators/_files/documents/MHCH. (error)
New International Version (NIV), Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Luke 2:7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A7&version=NIV
Matthew 11:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-29&version=NIV
Revelation 2:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A4&version=NIV
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- https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GID6bESXkAArEgV?format=jpg&name=medium
- https://twitter.com/StandWith_IL/status/1765686402644062676/photo/1
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- https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/journey-to-bethlehem-samuel-epperly.jpg
- https://pixels.com/featured/journey-to-bethlehem-samuel-epperly.html
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