Will you make room?

Will we make room for God? It is a question that we ought to respond to each Christmas. Can we take a bit of time in the midst of everything that needs to be done to stop and take some stock to see where God fits into everything?  We avoid saying things like, “He must increase and I... must decrease, especially after Christmas!” Jesus came not to be just involved in your life and mine but to take the centre of it. The heart of the Christmas celebration is about being in the presence of the King and knowing the reality of his coming kingdom.

Think of it this way: there is a legend told about the king Hiero II who asked Archimedes to find a method for determining whether a crown was made of pure gold or if the gold in the crown was mixed with silver. One day Archimedes went to get into his bath. And as he sat down in the bath the level of the water rose up as his body displaced the water in the tub. He suddenly jumped up and ran out of the house, stark naked, and ran out into the street exclaiming, “Eureka, eureka! I found it! I found it!”.  Archimedes may have spent some time, days and maybe even weeks, thinking about how to weigh the crown. His discover came as a surprise to him. The truth had been the truth before he knew it. But now he knew that he knew it. He knew how to weigh the crown to discover the truth.

Mary understood this and was willing to receive what God was. Mary was willing to be open to what God asked of her even though it sounded silly, foolish. She was at least open to the possibility that God could take what seemed silly and foolish and make it possible and so much more. Through Mary and her willingness to hear and to respond, God works out salvation for all of humanity. Jesus comes to us because Mary was willing see the truth. We have not found it, he has found us. Now we have the chance to respond to him and his presence. This is as true for those of us who have walked with Christ for many years as it is to the person who is hearing about Jesus for the first time.

Mary had to wait for her time to come, for the birth of the baby. She and her intended would have to make the long trek to Bethlehem on dangerous roads and on foot. And there would be no room for them at the end of that road. It is not easy to make room for Another, but if we are willing he will come into us and live with us and we with him. And that might be the greatest gift any of us can receive this Christmas... so will you make room?