December 22, 2020

Is Jesus Coming to Your House?

John 1:1-14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

—  John 1:14

A story is told about a group of animals that were living together in a stable. There were all kinds of animals: mice, sheep, some chickens, some cows, a donkey, a horse, and even a rat. They lived together as a family, and their stable was their home.

Then one day a little mouse heard a rumor. He heard that someone was coming to their house. In his excitement he jumped on top of the horse and shouted, “Someone is coming to our house.” And then he whispered, as if it were a secret, “Joseph and Mary are coming to our house, and Mary is going to have a baby.”

That story prompts me to ask, Is Jesus coming to your house? As you are about to celebrate the birth of Jesus, ask yourself this question. As we have our parties and exchange gifts, do we pay attention to what we are celebrating? Will the birth of Jesus be at the center of our celebrations?

On the first Christmas, the Lord Jesus “moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14, The Message). That’s Christmas in a nutshell: the Lord Jesus has come into our world and into our lives.

Will we invite him into our hearts? That’s the important question each of us must answer.

Lord Jesus, help us to concentrate on what Christ­mas is all about. Help us to worship you, our Savior, and help us to make room for you in our lives. Amen.

About the author — Arthur J. Schoonveld

Rev. Art Schoonveld is a retired minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Before retiring in 2001, he served churches in California, Illinois, and Michigan. Since his retirement he has worked part-time for the denomination and has served as an interim pastor. Art and his wife, Anita, have four children and nine grandchildren.

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