“Black Friday!” The Thanksgiving turkey had not even had time to digest when Black Friday kicked off the season preparing the way for Christmas.  Shoppers lined up for hours outside stores that held the key to the best bargain.  Nobody seemed to care if they got trampled on - - -after all, a bargain is worth fighting for! Also in preparation for Christmas, the tree went up, the presents from Black Friday were wrapped and put under it, and the traditional holiday baking began.  Just like Santa, people were making their list and checking it twice in preparation for the big day. My question to you is:  “Have you made absolutely sure that your list is complete in preparing the way for Christmas?” As food for thought, allow me to set up an imaginary scene with you.

It is Christmas Day and you and all your invited guests sit down to eat the meal that has been carefully planned and cooked in preparation for this day. Suddenly the doorbell rings.  You open the door and there stood someone you didn’t know.  “Who are you?” you ask.   “I’m Jesus, the one whose birthday you have been preparing to celebrate today.  Don’t you recognize me?”  You quickly look at your guest list, and his name is not on it.  Suddenly you realize that in all the frenzy of preparing the way for Christmas, the honorable guest, “the birthday man,” if you please, has not been invited.

“How could we have missed sending Him an invitation,” we all ask ourselves. “Why, I even went to several Christmas plays at different churches.  I sent out cards with the message of the season:  “Unto you this day is born in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”  [Luke 2:11]    “How could I have possibly not given Him a special invitation to His own birthday celebration at my house?”

The answer is simple:  We can know The Story of Jesus’ Birth, but not have Jesus living within our hearts. May I let you in on a little secret:  It is never too late to add Jesus’ name to your guest list and invite Him into your heart as your Savior.

Merry Christmas.

I pray you will have “the honorable birthday guest ” in your heart this year.