“The angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus." Mary said,
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.”
(Luke 1:30-31, 38)
Dear Friends –
Imagine being told, (by an Angel no less) that “you have found favor with God,” and, you have been chosen to be the Mother of His Son! Mary accepts this astonishing announcement with such beautiful aplomb which 
must have derived from her thorough knowledge and unbounded trust in Almighty God. We all hope to find favor with God, even when we know there are times we don’t deserve it, however, Mary was especially blessed and prepared by God to be a sinless pure vessel for His Son to enter and grow under her virtuous motherhood. While none of us will ever compare to the holiness of Mary, we are all called upon in some manner or another, to accept birthing for God another Christ-like child… male or female, we can do this for it is obviously not a physical act but a spiritual birthing when we commit to the rigors of transforming another’s material being into one of spiritual domination that accepts God as their Heavenly Father. Certainly in parenthood that is an implied directive, to bring up our children by His Word, and teach them to know and recognize His reality.
Mary was not given the details of what would lay before her as the Mother of Jesus, regardless, after committing herself as God’s handmaid she would undertake whatever His commission entailed, and without question, for obedience to the Will of God was her strong suit. 
We mortals struggle with that kind of blind obedience and usually question everything God sends our way wanting details of how, when, and where. As an unmarried virgin, Mary knew a normal material impregnation was not possible, but the impossible is what God does best and if He said she would be with child, then it would happen… His how, when, and where didn’t concern her. At our very best, how difficult it is for us to trust that God is able to conceive that, to which no logical pathway exists. God’s ways are not our ways, and trying to figure out His methods are exercises in futility, so learn from Mary and NEVER assume Him incapable, for when His handiwork, aka miracles, great and small appear, they will detail the magnificent scope and power of His invisible abilities.
Christ’s birth in a stable was probably far from what Mary must have had in mind, but, while not ideal, she recognized God did provide for the need when the material world would not… 
shepherds came to adore the infant after witnessing the angels heavenly bidding, and even a guiding star from above led the wise men to pay tribute with gifts; she was definitely amazed at what was transpiring, and “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) She may not have understood the enormity of what was occurring, but Mary recognized the hand of God acting, and knew it needed thorough digestion to eventually comprehend. Every little sign we get from God to see that actions are being made for our benefit, we must hold onto and savor as prelude to the final reveal that brings clear understanding. Mary accepted union with the Holy Spirit to become Christ’s Mother, and likewise, we add to God’s family when we bring souls to a spiritual re-birth; God will take an active part in providing whatever we need to see His family increase and the devil’s decrease… all we have to do is say yes when a spiritual Annunciation occurs in us.
“NO ROOM IN THE INN”
All the respectable lodgings were packed with a multitude of travelers complying with the edict for taking a census, and the overload of pilgrims had to-make-do the best they could, which for 
Mary and Joseph was to find shelter in a stable. When Divinity joined humanity, you would think royal treatment would be in place at every level for the future King of the world, but God The Father had different plans for His Son, and the humble beginning that He chose, was, in one way, to symbolize how the image of God is to take form silently in each of us… starting as a baby to grow in time to the full image of The Father. That simple material beginning for Jesus, was, in another way, a more drastic reveal emphasizing the proof that our free will exists, and the choice must be made to accept God or not… to ALLOW Him to enter into our being. The Father did not force His Son on us, He announced His birth, spread The Good News worldwide, and let us decide if we wanted Christianity and its values to dominate our lives.
When we look at today’s world, it is apparent in so many areas that Christianity has lost its place of honor, respect, and priority. There is no room for Jesus in many areas of our culture. The entertainment industry that dictates pop culture caters to all things materialistic for exorbitant profits; Christ, with His spiritual ways, contradicts all their egotistical endeavors, thus there is no room for Him where immorality, violent themes, and risqué behavior and language prevail. 
Walk the halls of government and find devilish minds closed to God, enacting abortion laws, sanctioning suicide, and punishing religious ones who refuse to comply with their killing ways… they want no part of Christ apparent in their judgments and often ridicule with interrogation another’s Christian beliefs as detrimental to the performance of duties. The evil anarchists have taken over many large cities hiding behind so-called altruistic causes to loot and destroy… fighting law and order in an attempt to abolish it is only the next step for them who want no part of God’s law and order. Of course, they want police defunded then the rampant pillage and mayhem can rule… they want no control over their lives, neither by God nor man, they have slammed the door shut to intelligent reasoning for they have lowered themselves to primate behavior without a conscience.
This turbulent year of so many wrongs has kept Christ from entering society for its betterment. Erratic pandemic restrictions have required churches to close their doors to members at a time when that spiritual strength garnered from services is needed the most. No one but the scheming devil has the capacity
to systematically enter so many areas of our existence for this destructive turmoil, all because his evil ways are dedicated to relegating Christ to obscurity. The devil doesn’t wait to be invited into our hearts as Jesus does, he just moves in and takes over your actions or situation for his betterment, and God’s diminishment. Many more Christ-like images are needed to walk freely through society and countermand the devilish populace… but first, Jesus must be reborn at Christmas with a magnitude never before seen to take Christianity upward and onward with power. We must see that all those doors slammed shut to Him are opened wide… that He lives not in obscurity but openly and freely for all to observe and enjoy His goodness ruling. Truly celebrate Christmas, invite Jesus as the guest of honor, and open wide the door for others to join in for a time of hope.
