Room for Jesus

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Mike Whitmer and I entitled today's reading, Room for Jesus.

I loved my weekend in New Orleans, happening upon a parade in the French Quarter, visiting the National World War II Museum, and trying grilled oysters. But as I fell asleep in my friend's spare room, I missed my wife and kids. I enjoy opportunities to preach in other cities, but I most enjoy being home. One aspect of Jesus' life that is sometimes overlooked is how many of His most important events happened on the road. The Son of God entered our world in Bethlehem, an incalculable distance from His heavenly home and far from His family's hometown of Nazareth.

Bethlehem was overflowing with extended family in town for the census, so Luke says there wasn't even a spare kataluma, or guest room, available. What was missing at Jesus' birth did show up at His death. As Jesus led His disciples into Jerusalem, He told Peter and John to prepare for their Passover meal. They should follow a pitcher-carrying man to his home and ask the owner for the kataluma, the guest room where Christ and His disciples could eat the Last Supper. There, in borrowed space, Jesus instituted what is now called communion, which foreshadowed His looming crucifixion. We love home, but if we travel with the Spirit of Jesus, even a guest room can be a place of communion with Him.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Luke chapter 2, verses 1-7. In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Corinnaeus was governor of Syria. And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.

She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Let's pray. Jesus, friend of the traveler far from home, please help us to remember you are Emmanuel, always with us. Thank you, Lord. It's in your name that we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.