In Other Words--Make My Life Bethlehem

“Just as Our Lord came into human history from outside, so He must come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a “Bethlehem” for the Son of God?”


by ~ Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest

I don't know about you, but it is easy for me to lose the plot during the busyness of Christmas. I can get caught up in the planning, the wrapping, the food, the laughter and the wonderful activities of the holiday. But often, that is at the expense of the meditation on and the preparation for Jesus. I did not grow up in a tradition that celebrated "Advent" and thus did not have the foundation of preparing for the Messiah. As I have focused more and more on that aspect the last few years, I have found that the feeling of chaos or exhaustion leading up to Christmas really has subsided.

And that is a good thing.

Yet I wonder if I am truly preparing for the Messiah's birth for a day or if I'm preparing for Jesus to be a part of me all year?

Around here, Casting Crowns music gets played just about all waking hours. So, I've listened to "While You Were Sleeping" a few hundred times this holiday season. For those who don't know the song, it is a discussion of the carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and how that is really an indictment that they missed the coming of the Messiah because they were sleeping. The song goes on to wonder if we in America are sleeping as well. The song challenges me. Am I missing the Messiah because I am focusing on things that are of lesser importance? Or, as Chambers puts it in today's quote, have I made room for my heart and life to be Bethlehem? Is there room for Jesus to take residence in my life? Can he come from eternity and impact my today? Will I allow it?

My word for 2010 is going to be Connect. I will be writing more about that next week, but as a taster part of my goals for the coming year is to come away next December more connected to the wonder and amazement that a Saviour left heaven and entered my reality and saved my eternity. I want to find a deepening relationship with God because I have intentionally connected with him through word and ministry. But that takes time. Time that can already seem like a precious commodity. So, in order for me to have the time to connect more intentionally with him, I will have to take time away from something else. I will have to make room for Jesus. It is about priorities. I want to see more and more in my life where the priority is connecting with the Saviour who resides in me and not just visit him at church a couple of times a week.

Is your life ready to be Bethlehem? Can he come and reside with you? How will 2010 be different for you because of the Lord who has come to impact your life? I pray that the impact is amazing for all of us.

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