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Have you ever had one of those birthdays when you wanted people to throw you a party? You imagined getting some nice gifts, and even hinted at what gifts you wanted. Every time you went out with a friend, you expected people to jump up and shout, “Merry Christmas!” You were looking forward to it with great enthusiasm, but nothing happened! The party never actually happened, people seem to have forgotten your birthday. Or worse, they remembered it but failed to acknowledge it.
This is what Christmas can be like. It's supposed to be a holiday celebration The birth of Jesus Christ But we get busy with the wrong things and forget his birthday.
Dealers want you to shop until you drop, so shoppers focus on finding all the good deals. Did you know that years ago on Black Friday, a Walmart employee was trampled to death as a crowd of people rushed in to find some savings? In Tennessee, a woman was run over at the entrance to a Toys R Us store when the store opened its doors. Fortunately, she survived.
2024: Reclaiming Christmas: Living Biblical Love
We all need to relax a little and remember the reason for the season: Jesus. This is the time when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. In the midst of our Christmas activities and preparations, how often do we forget our honored guest?
We turn on the lights, trim our trees, talk about the holiday, and hear recorded songs mentioning the birth of Jesus…but how many people actually make time for Him? (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutson)
We turn on the lights, trim our trees, talk about the holiday, and hear recorded songs mentioning the birth of Jesus…but how many people actually make time for Him? As we wander the malls and buy things for everyone we know, we can forget to make room for them in our schedules.
Something similar happened in the first century, at the first Christmas: there was no room for Jesus.
Mary and Joseph were spending their time in Nazareth. It was getting closer and closer to the day of Mary's birth. Then, suddenly, it was announced that everyone had to be taxed, and everyone had to go to their initial hometown for it to be done.
Because Mary and Joseph were descendants of King David, they were They made their journey to Bethlehem– It is the birthplace of David (Luke 2: 1-5). When this announcement was made, they probably thought it was a big deal.
Church processions sing hymns as they pass through Bethlehem and enter the Church of the Nativity. (Timothy Neruzzi)
You may be wondering, “Why would God want Mary to make the long and difficult journey to Bethlehem so late in her pregnancy?” Well, we know that God is a stickler for details. The Bible said that Christ would be born in Bethlehem, so Mary and Joseph had to go there.
When we think of the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, we can romanticize it in our minds. We imagine a full moon with the silhouettes of Mary and Joseph against a starlit sky, and soft, angelic music playing in the background.
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But the fact of the matter is that this has been a very difficult journey. It would have been difficult under any circumstances, but the fact that Mary was so late in her pregnancy made it even more difficult. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 90 miles.
In those days, people traveled about 20 miles a day. They did not travel on a flat, paved road, but rather on rough terrain that would go up and down. It will likely be in the depths of winter, with temperatures in the 30s. At night, it was very cold. Add to this the danger of wild animals, not to mention the danger of potential thieves and bandits.
Orthodox priests walk outside the Church of the Nativity, where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born on Orthodox Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, West Bank, Saturday, January 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Alyan)
Perhaps Mary and Joseph were comforting themselves with the thought of the warm bed waiting for them in Bethlehem. But that was not the case. When they arrived, they found that there was no room for them in the inn, so Mary had to give birth in unexpected and less than ideal circumstances; the Savior of the world He may have been born in a stable or a cave (Luke 2:7).
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There was no room for Jesus in the hotel, just as there is no room for Him in some people's lives today. Even during a season in which he is supposed to be a center, some still do not make room.
As we are Celebrate Christmas As we prepare to start a new year with new opportunities, will you make room for it in your life?
