Making Room
Author: Mark Fenstermacher
December 24, 2021
Few moments in history have captured the human heart and imagination as has the story of the birth of Jesus. This event, which took place in a rebellious, backwater province of the Roman Empire, has inspired countless painters, poets, and musicians.
Interestingly enough, only two of the New Testament gospel writers—Matthew and Luke—go into much detail about the nativity story. Mark, the earliest of the gospels in our Bible, bypasses the story of the nativity and jumps right into the story of the adult Jesus being baptized. John leaves the talk about nativity to Matthew and Luke.
What is it about the birth of Jesus that so intrigues us? Certainly, at the heart of the Christmas story, is the shocking revelation that the eternal God would put on skin and enter this world. “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood,” Eugene Peterson’s translation The Message says. Beyond the stunning decision of God to share this world and life with us, what parts of this story “grab us” and won’t let go of us?
We all have our favorite parts of this story. Joseph deciding to divorce Mary and then being persuaded by an angel to stand by her side. Mary puzzled by the whole deep mystery. Finally trusting God, she says, “I am the Lord’s servant.” Shepherds, often unable to keep kosher laws because of their life out in the fields, are visited by angels. Viewed as down-and-outers, the shepherds end up with front-row seats to the unfolding miracle of God’s love. Viewed with suspicion and mistrust by polite, Bible-believing folks, those dirty shepherds go off to tell the world what God is doing.
Every year, as we turn our attention to this story, I am struck again by one small detail Luke shares with us in 2:7b: “She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” (Today’s New International Version.)
The fact about there being no proper room for the young, pregnant girl and her carpenter husband won’t let go of me. They had traveled so far along a hard road, and although they were in Joseph’s hometown no one was willing to make room for them.
Could it be that this small part of the story calls us to open our hearts, our lives, and our nation to those who are seeking shelter? Is this God’s way of encouraging us to give shelter to those who struggle without shelter in the heat and cold? Later, in Matthew 25, Jesus will make clear to us—in his parable of the sheep and the goats—how important it is to God that we shelter the homeless, welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the prisoner.
Or might it be, in addition to the call to show compassion to all, that this is a call to make room for God in our packed, busy, agenda-driven lives? The truth is that our lives are so full and we are so distracted that we miss God when God shows up in our lives. There is no room for the Creator here...in us. Holy, unexpected miracles are often missed because the noise of our lives is so loud that we don't hear God knocking on the door.
Make room for the stranger from far away who comes looking for shelter. Practice compassion even when it may outrage others.
And make room for the God who comes knocking on the door of your life. God is on the move into your world.
God always comes. So how will you make room for God? What needs to be given away so there is space for the holy and the good? What attitudes, fears, and misplaced priorities need to be set aside so there is room in your life for the God who shows up in ordinary places like barns and small towns?
Grace and peace,
Pastor Mark
4:30 - Family Service in Fellowship Hall
7:30 - Communion Service in the Sanctuary
11:00 - Cantata Service in the Sanctuary
The Church Office will be closed on Monday and Tuesday next week.
Year end giving - must be in the church office drop box by the end of business hours (4 pm) on December 31.
ONE service next Sunday, December 26 at 10 am and on Sunday, January 2 at 10 am.
Pastor Mark, Pastor Nikki, and the entire First UMC ministry team wish you a blessed and joyful Christmas. We are blessed to serve God with you. Your prayers, encouragement, faith, and kindness mean so very much to each and every one of us. Rejoice - the Light has come into the world through Christ and the darkness will not overcome it.
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