Finding more heart
By Chaplain Ryan
Edgecombe, The Christian Village 
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[December 19, 2017]
Allow
me to share with you a few verses from a hymn that has become a
favorite of mine within the last few years :
“Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” written by E.S. Elliot in 1864
Thou didst leave Thy
throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
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 What or Who is in your heart this Christmas?
That’s a question that only you and God can answer. How crowded is
your heart? Do you have room in your heart for anything else or
anyone else? What is the capacity of your heart? Would you consider
your heart healthy or broken or somewhere in between? Your heart may
have a “no vacancy” sign posted at the front door! You heart might
be looking and searching for a deep love beyond words to take up
residence within! When we make room for something or someone in our
heart I think we are recognizing, not only the importance of that
person or concept or thing, but we are recognizing our need for that
person or concept or thing. What’s going on in your heart this year?
This Christmas you can bet that our three small boys will continue
to have a prominent place in our heart! They are valuable to us in
ways that I cannot begin to express. They are still young and
dependent and they need us… but Bethany and I need them just as
much! Christmas will indeed have a lot to do with presents and fun
and lights and wonder because we have our boys in our heart and we
want them to have a very Merry Christmas because we treasure them
with all that we are and we have plenty of room in our hearts for
them.
Yet before our boys ever were, my wife and I had room in our hearts
for Jesus. In fact, Jesus is the One that expanded our hearts to the
point that we could allow others in. That baby born of Mary is the
“heart healer” and the “heart stretcher.”
I don’t think I had room for much in my heart before Christ entered
in, and what was in my heart at the time didn’t belong there… it
wasn’t worthy to take up presence there.
Inviting Jesus to come into my heart and dwell within makes a
statement as to the value of who Jesus is. He is the Messiah. He is
God in the Flesh. He is the Savior of the World. He is Lord.
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As mentioned earlier, I am also making a clear
declaration of my need when I open the door of my heart to Jesus. I
am spiritually and emotionally and completely bankrupt without Him.
Only the Christ can bring me back from the brink of shame, guilt,
and death. I remember when I first cried those words: “O come to my
heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for Thee.” He was there
for me and has been there for me since.
I want your Christmas to be full of joy and fun and time with those
you love, but I also want you to examine yourself and examine your
need and examine your heart and make room for the One who belongs in
the center of it all.
Merry Christmas from The Christian Village
Chaplain Ryan Edgecombe
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