Christmas – Making Room for Jesus

by Dr. Gary Linton | Updated February 18th, 2023

Jesus always seemed to be looking for a place to live. From one statement He made, it would seem He was virtually homeless. Will you provide a place in your hearts and lives for Him this Christmas season?

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Luke 2:7 – “She brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Matthew 8:20 – “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Jesus is still looking for a dwelling place.

Many have opened up their hearts to Jesus and invited Him into their lives. We prayed the sinner’s prayer, called on Him for salvation (Romans 10:13) and have the assurance of salvation (1 John 5:13). Though this secures a place for us in heaven, if we have areas or rooms in our lives where we have shut Him out, He is not Lord of all. “God has made Him both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). Hudson Taylor once said, “If Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.”

The Throne of Our Heart

Jesus desires more then just a place to live. He wants to sit on the throne of your heart and be number one in every area of your life. He insist on being first place in our lives. Revelation 3:20 says, ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

It is interesting that this was written to a church that had shut Jesus out. They were going through all the motions of Christianity (religion) without any emotion. Their relationship with Him had shut down and He was shut out. There are many churches and believers today who have shut God out of much of their lives. He is no longer number one, and He no longer sits on the throne of their life and activities.

The Government

Yes, Jesus should be included in the government as well. The separation of church and state was meant to keep the government out of the church, and not the church out of government. Jesus has been shut out of every aspect it today. Speaking of His birth, the Bible says, “And the government will rest on His shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6). Let’s get Jesus back into our government institutions as well as other areas of life.

Our Thoughts

Jesus wants to be in control of our thoughts. The Bible says we are to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). What do we spend the majority of our time dwelling on? Where is the focus of our concentration?

“If you are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Set your mind (affection) on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). “The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).

Our Relationships

Are we allowing Jesus to sit on the throne of our relationships? Are you married? Is He number one in your marriage? Maybe you’re not married but you are in a committed relationship. Is He Lord in your relationship, or are you shutting Him out of certain aspects of it? Maybe you want Him to be Lord of every area except the sexual part of your relationship (1 Thessalonians 4:3 and Ephesians 5:3-5). He demands nothing less than first place in everything.

Our Finances

It could be you allow Jesus into every realm of your life except your finances. Someone once said, “If God has your pocket book He has your heart.” The opposite is also true. This makes sense because finances seem to control most areas of our life. Are you putting God first in your finances (The Tithe: Malachi 3:8-10)? By the way, your tithe belongs to the place (storehouse) you are getting spiritually fed.

Our Leisure Time

Yes, Jesus desires to be a part of even our leisure time. You can invite Him into your times of fun as well as everything else. He wants us to enjoy life (John 10:10) – He just wants to be in on it with us. Include Him in on all aspects of your life.

I have just named a few things, but you should make your own list. Use your imagination and ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and show you where He may not be reigning on the throne of your life. Invite Him into every room in your heart and make room for Him in your life this Christmas and the year(s) to come.

If you have never committed your life to Jesus you can ask Him into your heart right now. Maybe you have made a commitment to Him, but you have shut Him out of your life to some degree. You can open the door of your heart and ask Him to be Lord of your life again right now (2 Corinthians 6:2). He’s there knocking and waiting for you to let Him in. What better time than Christmas to make room for Jesus in your heart and life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, come into my heart, forgive me of my sins and for shutting you out of areas of my life. I want you to reign on the throne of my heart from this day forward. I invite you to show me wherever I shut you out of my life. Thank you Lord Jesus. In Your name, amen.