Let's Celebrate Both!

                                                   

                                                                Let's Celebrate Both!

One of those Christmas carols that celebrate both the first and the second comings of Jesus and still popular today is titled, "There is Room in My Heart for Thee."

The first verse summarizes beautifully the scene where Mary and Joseph were shown to a stable, because there was no room for them in the inn, or guest house. No room for Jesus (or His family!)

But we can all today make room in our hearts to receive Him as Savior and Lord.

That's one of the great lessons of the Christmas story.

Here's the last verse: "When the heavens shall ring and her angels sing at Thy coming to victory, let Thy voice call me home saying, 'Yes, there is room! There is room at My side for thee!'" That's His Second Coming we are all so anxious to see!

There was always room at His side for us - for each of us, just as there was always room at the cross for us!

Our spot was reserved before creation and someday we will arrive to take that special place at His side! When He comes back to reign in glory we will be with Him!

What a wonderful hymn to sing at Christmas: to celebrate His birthday in that stable in Bethlehem and also His coronation and reign as King of Kings when He comes next time -- not to a stable but to a great Throne!

(By the way, that hymn/carol was written about 1850 by Emily Elliott, whose aunt, Charlotte Elliott, wrote "Just as I Am," a few years earlier.)

 Christmas is the best time to remember that the Baby Messiah who had no room to receive Him, made certain that we have a pace with Him secured forever! "I go to prepare a place for you," He tells us. What a great God we have!