10 Days of Christmas Truths to Live All YearSample

The Innkeeper:

While he somehow has made it into many versions of the Christmas story, there’s not an actual innkeeper recorded in the biblical account of Jesus’ birth. We can only assume Joseph tried to get lodging for them and couldn’t. 

Many of us have probably heard the question, “Have you made room for Jesus?” 

Let’s go one step further today:

What place does Jesus occupy in your heart? Does He have the priority spot, or have you given Him a “manger?”

Let’s be clear. I’m sure your nativity set is beautiful, but a manger is a feeding trough. Not exactly a bed to brag about.

Jesus deserves the priority place in our lives. He deserves the best room we have available. 

But so many times, we give our best to less-deserving things. We dismiss reading our Bibles to scroll Facebook for the 15th time that day. We choose Netflix over prayer or comfort over serving. 

Do you want your life to explode with joy and purpose? That’s what happens when we give Jesus our best rather than our leftovers.

Matthew 6:33 NIV has been my life verse for the last decade: 

“But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” 

This world has it backwards, friends. They try to tell us to do “all the things” and fit God in with the rest. 

If you attempt “all the things,” insert Stress. Pressure. Chaos. Failure. 

If you seek God over it all, insert Peace. Blessing. Order. Approval. 

Let’s draw some boundaries for ourselves for what we seek. If you make a commitment to live for God alone and you daily revisit and live by that decision, you will do more of what matters and less of what doesn’t.  

Let’s learn from the “innkeeper” and make sure we set ourselves up to always give Jesus the priority spot He deserves in our lives.  

God, I know that I often get caught up with things that aren’t as important as You. But God, I don’t want to live that way anymore. I don’t want to waste my life on an inferior purpose. Speak truth in my life. Reroute me when I get caught up in the trivial. Focus me back on You. I love You. Amen.