Luke 2
Bible Passage: Luke 2
“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7
This is one of the most iconic scenes of Christianity. The Creator of the Universe was about to be born as a baby… but “there was no room for them in the inn” and He was born in a stable.
All this is so familiar to us that we hardly stop to think much about it – however astonishingly true it is. We tell the little children the story, we sing about it, at times we even put up a skit about it… but the meaning of “there was no room for them…” fails to penetrate deeply into our souls.
I cannot remember where I read this before but the author made a very interesting connection between this passage to the story of Jesus’ visit to Mary and Martha. While Mary sat listening at Jesus’ feet, Martha rushed madly around the house frantically doing all kinds of good things so that food and lodging would be just right. Finally, her growing frustration that Mary was doing nothing to help erupted in an angry demand that Jesus order Mary to get working.
Jesus’ answer speaks clearly to busy Christians rushing around so furiously doing ‘divine’ work that they have little time left for quiet meditation and contemplative prayer. “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41042).
Yesterday, I spoke about learning how we need to resolve to do things for the Lord and to be faithful and diligent to complete it.
We may have many grand plans for this year for the Lord. We have high aspirations to do this or that for Jesus. We just have so many things that we want to get started right now!
But there is one thing that is most needed in all these things – PRAYER.
But we struggle to find the time. We try to builde a 24/7 relationship with Christ with a miserly investment of one to two hours sitting at His feet on a Sabbath afternoon. The inn of our lives is too full for Jesus to find room. Our frantic busyness pushes Him away.
I do not know where you are at in working and doing things for God in church.
You may be already doing 1001 things… and many of these things are important duties. Or you may be just somone who comes for services but does not join in any particular church activities. Or you are just one who is slowly coming to grips in working for the Lord.
Whatever group you may belong to, for this year, I also want to resolve to hold before me an image of me sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus, just listening, learning and waiting for directions. Theorectically, as much as I know my heart, I want to do only what Christ wants me to to do. I don’t want to lead one more Bible Study, teach one more RE class, organize one more church camp etc unless the Lord wants me to.
But if that is truly the case, why is it so much easier for me to rush into another activity and pack the day with important calls, than to take real time just to sit at His feet listing for direction?
My desire is to change. I hope I learn to pray as much as Christ wants me to pray. I am determined to discover how to make prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit more central to my life and the church.
I don’t pretend I can wasily switch from imitating Martha to following Mary. But I ask the Lord to change me.
May this be true for the new year and for the rest of my life. Let there be less and less frenzied worry about making good things happen, and more and more sitting attentively, watching prayerfully, and listening at Jesus’ feet. Lord, my longing is to have room in my heart for you.
3 Comments
JoyousConcerto
Have we room in our hearts for God? I received this impactful story in my email, just thought to share it with you:
你的心房住了誰？
有一位年輕人，
他擁有一棟極漂亮的房子，
這棟房子有兩層，
上層有五個房間，
下層有五個房間，
總共十個房間。
他非常高興擁有這棟房子，
而且引以為傲。
有一日，有一個人輕輕敲門：
叩叩叩……他打開門，
驚訝地發現原來是耶穌站在他家門口。
耶穌對他說：[我想要住進來，
你願意讓我住在你家嗎？]
年輕人十分高興，
說：[歡迎你，我主，
我把最好的房間給你住，
請進，請進]
年輕人對耶穌說：
「在樓上的房間是這棟屋子最好的。」
於是他帶耶穌走到樓上給了耶穌最好的房間住下來。]
第二天早上，有人急急地敲門：
叩叩叩……年輕人去應門，
看看是誰敲門敲得這麼急，
當他打開門ㄧ看
原來是魔鬼站在門口也想要住進他家，
年輕人立刻叱喝要牠走開！
但是，魔鬼說：
[不！我要進來佔住你的房子！]
年輕人說：[我不要你！]
於是兩人便開始扭打成一團。
到了晚上，年輕人才勉強把魔鬼推出去，
將門鎖上。他筋疲力盡。
然後，他想到……，
耶穌住在我家，他為什麼不幫助我，
他難道沒有聽見我在喊叫，需要幫忙嗎？
他為什麼不來幫助我？
於是，他走到樓上，
心裡想耶穌為什麼不來幫忙我趕走魔鬼？
我給了他最好的房間。
他走上樓去，對耶穌說：
「耶穌啊，難道你沒聽見魔鬼整天在煩我嗎？
你為什麼不幫助我呢？」
耶穌說：「孩子，在這十個房間中，
你住了九間，我只住了一間。」
年輕人好像被敲了一下，說：
「噢，主啊，我知道我犯了錯誤，
我們一半一半好了，你住樓上，我住樓下吧。」
結果，到了第二天早上，又有人急急地敲門了……
年輕人心想：糟了！魔鬼又來了！我不想開門……
可是，萬一是別人呢？我怎麼知道不是別人呢？
我只要開個小縫就好了；偷看一下，
如果是魔鬼，我就趕快關門。
於是他把門只開了一小縫，
從裡面偷看一下是誰在門外？
又是魔鬼，他趕快地想要關門，
但魔鬼的腳很瘦，牠用腳擋住門縫，
於是他們又扭打了一整天，情況實在激烈，
到了晚上，年輕人才勉強把魔鬼推出去，
將門鎖上，他已筋疲力盡。
然後，他又想起：我已給耶穌一半的房間，
包括最好的房間，耶穌為什麼仍不來幫助我，
我一定要問問祂。
於是又走到樓上說：
「主耶穌啊，魔鬼又來找我了！
你為什麼不幫我？我給你ㄧ半的房間了。」
耶穌說：[孩子，我們換個做法好了，
你把十個房間都給我，然後你來住我家，
而不是我來住你家。把十個房間都給我，
你來住。]
年輕人跪了下來，
他把前門的鎖匙拿出來，
他說：[主耶穌，我現在把整棟房子交給你，
從今天起我要住在你家，這樣做好嗎？
]
到了第二天早上，太陽出來之前，
又有人用力敲前門，年輕人嚇得跳下床，
哭喪著臉，說：[魔鬼又來了……]
當他哭時，突然不敢相信自己的耳朵，
他聽見房子裡耶穌的腳步聲，
他說：[我曉得了！我不再是房子的主人，
擁有房子的主人必須去開門。]
他看見耶穌走下樓梯，以萬王之王、萬主之主的姿態；
耶穌不只開一個小縫而已，他把門大大的打開；
年輕人躲在耶穌後面，他想看會發生什麼事。
當魔鬼看見是耶穌站在門口，牠就恭敬屈膝。
魔鬼說：「對不起，我敲錯門了！」
若將房子比喻做心，
要將整個心都獻給主耶穌，
甘心樂意事奉主耶穌。
當我們只顧工作的時候，
我們獨自工作；
當我們祈禱的時候，
神工作。
PS
As i was listening to Pr Chin speaking on Luke Chap 1 & 2, i make a resolution to learn the word of God with more diligence bec the bible is the word of God.
Luke 2:19 and Luke 2:51 recorded that Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Mary with her personal encounters had to keep all these things and pondered them in her heart. All more me who only read about them.
When Jesus went to Jerusalem to keep the feast at twelve, did he hear about Micah 5:12, Isaiah 7:14 and Amos 9:11 for the first time?
When Jesus sat in the midst of the teachers, both listening and asking them questions, all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. (Luke 2;46-47)
At 12, Jesus became the son of the Laws and had to be personally responsible for keeping the laws. More importantly, He was the Son of God and His Father’s words were opened to Him in ways never before. He was learning about His mission on earth.
From 12 to 30, Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.
May God help us to learn His word together as a church. May this body of Christ increase in wisdom and stature, and in favour of God and men.
PS
It is Micah 5:2 not Micah 5:12.