Making Space

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31)

The countdown began weeks ago as store aisles filled with all things Christmas, just seconds after Halloween ended (if they waited that long). Leaves are barely off trees when we begin writing out to-do lists, filling calendars with parties and purchasing just the right gifts to celebrate the season with people we love and appreciate. All that Christmas means in our homes and families cannot be contained in a single day, so we spend weeks—if not months—preparing for the big event. 

Christmas truly is a season of preparation. It’s what Mary did long ago after hearing of God’s plans to make her a mother to Jesus: “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31)  Mary had to prepare room in her life for a new baby, and room in her heart to receive this coming Immanuel. One well-known innkeeper failed to prepare room for the coming King and missed out on playing host to God’s greatest gift to the world.

We prepare for Christmas by hanging wreaths, mailing cards, lighting candles and baking treats, but what about our hearts? Are we preparing room in our hearts to receive our coming King this holiday season? Are we preparing our schedules to allow for time and focus on what we ultimately want to embrace—joy, peace and love? We, too, can have a full “inn” and miss out on what our hearts truly need when we don’t prepare room to receive God’s greatest gift.

In 1719, Isaac Watts penned lyrics to a song intended to give singers a reminder of hope and joy. His inspiration for “Joy to the World” came directly from Pslam 98, and we read in the fourth verse words similar to Watt’s famous carol: “Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!” Nearly three centuries later, his song still carries a message of joy and hope throughout Christmas seasons.

One lyric in particular reads more like a hope-filled command: “Let every heart prepare Him room.” It’s as if Watts knew back in the 18th century our human tendency to overfill our hearts with busyness and distractions, like the innkeeper filled his inn. Instead, let’s take a Mary approach this Christmas and prepare room for Love. Every decoration, every party and every gift is simply an opportunity to live out Psalm 98. And while we’re at it, we can belt out “Joy to the World” like we mean it and close out 2016 in joyous celebration.

Faith & Family writer Jena Meyerpeter wishes all the KC Parent readers a blessed and joyful Christmas.