Make Room for More

Photo credit: Free-images.com

“Let every heart prepare Him room…”  We’ve all sung the joyful carol “O Come All Ye Faithful” countless times. In this last week before Christmas, let’s take a moment to examine how we might prepare our hearts for His coming.

We know that Christ’s love dwells in us and that it is meant to be shared. (Remember the saying, “Love isn’t love till you give it away”?) We prepare our hearts by spending time contemplating His immense love for us and then sharing that love with others in many different ways. So, the gifts we give at Christmas, whether they’re tangible items, our time, or our talents, are our response to God’s love for us. This response not only pours love onto the other person, it allows Christ’s love to grow in our hearts, too. Each time we give generously, Christ’s love expands in our hearts and creates a cycle that makes us more and more like Him:  When we give of ourselves, when we give away His love, we open our hearts to accept more of that love from Him. This love comes to us along with His gifts of peace and joy so that we’re inspired to share even more with others, which then opens our hearts for even more of His love. What does this look like in practice?

While you carefully consider what to give to someone special… while you’re making, baking, or buying a gift that will make them smile… while you’re anticipating with excitement the happiness your gift will bring... you’re preparing to share God’s Love and Joy and, in the process, you’re making room in your heart for more.

When you’re kind, patient, and cheerful with the harried cashier… when you over-tip the stressed-out wait staff…. when you let someone go ahead of you in line and then strike up a friendly conversation with them… you’re sharing God’s Love, Peace, and Joy, and making room in your heart for more.

When you put something in the red kettle… when you donate toward a community Giving Tree… when you give in any way to people in need… you’re offering God’s Love, Joy, and Hope, and making room in your heart for more.

When you bake Christmas cookies to share… when you participate in a gift exchange… when you decorate your workspace or home… you’re sharing God’s Love and Joy, and making room in your heart for more.

When we make room in our hearts for more of His love, peace, and joy, we find ourselves becoming more loving, patient, generous, and kind over time. We become more like Him.

Christ came to show us the way. Let’s take steps this week to prepare our hearts for His coming. Let’s give Him room to fill us with even more.

“Teach me Your ways, O Lord,” – Psalm 25:4

“Lord, help me prepare my heart for Your coming.”

Thank you for reading my reflection.  All thanks to God for giving me the ideas and guiding my words!    © 2024 Gina Bedell   

  

Through these reflections, I invite you, the reader, to reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other qualified persons in order to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s love and will for your life. 

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P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate to a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.