Bible Verse: “At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’” (Luke 14:17-20)
Scripture Reading: Mark 8:34-38
“Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” by Emily Elliot
Refrain:
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
Two thousand years ago, a tired Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary, staggered into the small village of Bethlehem only to discover that there was no room for them.
No room?
His wife was going to have a baby, she needed a clean, sanitized room. She needed attendants and medical personnel. She needed the comfort of her family.
She got none of that.
Instead, the child was born in a manger. Jesus’ arrival landed Him in a stable. It didn’t matter who He was. It didn’t matter that He was the God of Angel Armies. It didn’t matter that He was King of kings and the Lord of lords.
There wasn’t any room for Him.
He still came. He didn’t have a contract that stated His refusal to come if certain expectations weren’t met. His coming to save the world was not dependent on the world’s reception of His coming.
And today, He comes to each one of us.
We are men. We are busy. We are hardworking. We have responsibilities.
And while all those are important and significant, nothing is more important than what we do with Jesus Christ.
Will there be room in our hearts for Him? Or have we already crowded Him out with the love of the world (1 John 2:15)?
Brothers, Jesus is not someone we add to the mix of all the other most important things in our lives. Some furniture may have to be moved out to create the appropriate space for the Lord.
No earthly mansion could house Him, but He is ready and willing to dwell within our hearts.
Is there room in your heart for Him?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, be the Lord of my heart. Have full reign in my life. You are the owner, and I am just a tenant. May I honor You with the honor that You deserve. Help me to share Your love with those around me who don’t know You so that there will be room in their hearts for You as well. Amen.
Reflection: Have you opened your heart to Jesus? Are there things in your life (the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, or the pride of life) filling up the rooms in your heart so there is little room for Jesus? What are you willing to surrender to Him in order to have more room for His Spirit to fill you?
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