It’s Christmas time, and you’re getting the house ready. You have the decorations up, and the fireplace running. You have fresh-baked cookies sitting out, and a roast in the oven. The carpet has been vacuumed, the floor swept, and the furniture dusted. You have put all this work into your house, but you will do it all over again next year. In fact, you do it every year for every holiday and even a few special visitors.

Is your house the only clean thing this Christmas?

As you prepare your house for guests, you should also be preparing your heart for Christ. The days preceding Christmas are a time of getting ready for the arrival of Christ into the world. It is the story of the Savior of the world coming to earth in the flesh of our own. A King was born in a sleazy manger, and without this event, the entirety of Christianity would suffer. This day is a big day!

Imagine Jesus coming over to your house to celebrate. You would have it fixed up nicely, wouldn’t you? You would be like Martha trying to get the house ready before He got there. You go through all of this work every year, so why would your heart be any different?

This season of Advent is a time to get your heart ready for the coming of Christ. It is a time to fully perceive what it was like for Mary and Joseph. If you start to view Christmas as a “Jesus is moving in” day, instead of just a holiday, your actions and lifestyle will dramatically change. You will greet your guests with arms open wide, and you will be thrilled for that church service or long dinner prayer. You will realize that the day is more than cookies and presents, but instead a day where the history of the world was dramatically changed.

It’s Christmas Eve, and you want your heart ready for the season. It is never too late to dig into the Word, and reflect on the events of Christmas. Advent might be coming to an end, but you can still work on opening yourself up for this special day.
You might learn something new if you have your Christmas dinner with Jesus.