“And 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” (Luke 2:7).

 Tim was so drowsy behind the wheel of his car that he drove right past his exit. The next exit was nearly 40 miles away, and it was late at night. Fearful that there may be no vacant motel rooms, his wife Shirley started calling ahead to the motels at the next exit. There were three or four motels at the next town along the Interstate. As she spoke with the clerk at the last motel, what great relief she experienced when the clerk assured her that they had one remaining room and that she would hold it for the MacLaughlin family. As Tim spoke quietly so as not to awaken his children, he confided to his wife, “I was really starting to feel nervous. What if I could not find a room for my family tonight? Imagine what that must have been like for Mary and Joseph that night. To be far from their home, advanced in her pregnancy, then to discover that there was no room at the inn must have alarmed and distressed Joseph,” he said thoughtfully. That phrase, “no room in the inn” ran through his mind many more times that evening. How incredibly symbolic that when the Son of God came to the earth there was no room at the inn. Unfortunately in many Christmas parties and celebrations even today, there will be little room, if any, for Him. You and I have the great privilege of being absolutely committed to making Christ the focus of this day of celebration. Merry Christmas to you and your family, and may the Lord richly bless you as you keep Christ central in Christmas.

 For today: Without Christ there would be no Christmas!