Do You Have Room for Jesus?

by Rick Warren — December 20, 2024
From Will I Make Room for Jesus

“While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke 2:6-7 (NASB)

On that first Christmas, when Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph were at the end of a long journey—and they found there was no room for them in the local inn.

This is how the Gospel of Luke tells the story: “While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:6-7 NASB).

Looking back at the story—knowing that the innkeeper turned away the Son of God—it’s easy to think the innkeeper should have made room for Mary, Joseph, and the soon-to-be-born Jesus. But the reasons the innkeeper didn’t make room for Jesus that first Christmas are some of the same reasons we don’t make room for him in our lives today. 

We don’t pay attention. Jesus shows up in your life all the time in unexpected opportunities, in words other people say to you, and in problems he allows so you can grow. He shows up; you often just don’t see him. 

We crowd our lives with other things. In Bethlehem, the problem was that the inn was already booked. This is a parallel to your heart. You were created to have God living inside you. But too often we rent our hearts out to other things, and there’s no room for Jesus.

The Message paraphrase of Deuteronomy 8:14 says, “Make sure you don’t become so full of yourself and your things that you forget GOD.” You can do lots of good things that leave you with no room for Jesus. If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll just make you busy. He doesn’t care what distracts you, as long as you pay no attention to God. 

We really don’t think we need to make room for God. If we’re honest, deep down we really don’t want God. We have a sense of self-sufficiency that says, “I’m doing fine on my own.” You may be living a good life but “the good life” is not good enough. You need the better life. When you don’t allow God into your heart, you miss the very purpose of your life.

The innkeeper should have made room for Jesus, but he didn’t. Don’t make the same mistake.

You’re meant to be connected to God. Choose to make room in your heart for Jesus so you can get to know him, enjoy a life lived for him, and spend eternity with him.

Talk It Over

  • Look again at the three reasons people often don’t make room for Jesus. Which of these reasons is the biggest struggle for you?
  • What is occupying too much room in your heart, leaving little room for Jesus?
  • Imagine that you’re the innkeeper of your heart and Jesus is asking if there’s room for him. What would you say to him?

If you haven’t trusted in Jesus and committed to following him, why wait any longer?

God’s great generosity is reflected in his gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Your sins separate you from God. And it is only God’s grace, through Jesus, that can get you back into right relationship with him.

The Bible says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).


If you’re ready to make peace with your Creator, then pray this prayer:

“Dear Jesus, I don’t want my sin to separate me from you any longer. You have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.

“I confess my sin, and I believe you are my Savior. You have promised that if I confess my sin and trust you, I will be saved. I trust you when you say salvation comes by grace, through faith, and not by anything I do. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today, I’m turning over every part of my life to you.

“I want to live the way you created me to live and use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at [email protected] and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.


Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.