Making Room In Busy Lives
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
December 7th Sermon, Day 3
Bethlehem was packed. Everyone had come to register for the census, and there simply wasn't abundant space for a young couple expecting a baby. People weren’t being cruel; they were just overwhelmed with the demands of a crowded season.
Sound familiar? Our lives often feel like that crowded Bethlehem. Our schedules are full, our minds are racing, and we're managing countless responsibilities. In the busyness, it's easy to miss the sacred moments happening right around us. We can become so focused on our to-do lists that we overlook the people God places in our path.
Yet even in that crowded, chaotic environment, room was made. Someone offered their lower level, their humble space, and it became the birthplace of hope. The lesson is powerful: we don't need perfect circumstances or unlimited time to make room for what matters most. Making room isn't about having more space or fewer responsibilities. It's about choosing to slow down long enough to notice. It's about being present in the moment instead of rushing to the next thing. It's about seeing people as more than interruptions to our plans.
Today, you have opportunities to make room - room in your schedule for a meaningful conversation, room in your heart for someone who's struggling, room at your table for unexpected guests. The question isn't whether you have enough space, but whether you're willing to create it. When we make room for others, we're participating in the same spirit that made room for Jesus. We're creating space where hope can be born.
Bible Verse
'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 Quirinius 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.' - Luke 2:1-7
Reflection Question
What would it look like for you to slow down this week and make room for the people God might be placing in your path?
Quote
You can't welcome someone if you don't notice them. And it might be that the pace of your life, like my life, is the biggest barrier to us practicing hospitality.
Prayer
Lord, help me resist the urge to rush through life. Give me wisdom to know when to pause, when to listen, and when to make room for others. Show me how to create space in my busy life for the sacred moments You want to give me. Amen.
