There is a room in my house that is currently bordering on the likes of a Sanford & Son episode.  I’ve actually taken to closing the door because I just can’t bear to look at it.  The mess makes me anxious.

It all started when I heard about this term, “KonMari.”  Apparently it’s a form of de-cluttering.  I remember reading about it, pursing my lips and tilting my head just so.  “Yes,” I thought.  I need KonMari in my life.

So KonMari I did, removing items from closets and drawers.  Making piles of the no longer needed.  Replacing only what I felt necessary.  Rolling socks and placing them in color coordinated rows.  And it felt really good.  Purging the stuff almost feels a bit like purging the soul.

Until I ran out of time (and energy frankly) and Goodwill was closed.  So what did I do?  Well my friend, I basically took the clutter from one place and relocated it to my guest room bed.  What was once a lovely little room with a flowery comforter is now giant piles of stuff.

Oh, but it’s not all junk.  It’s also the holding place for Christmas gifts I have yet to wrap.  Along with the major Christmas KonMari that took place the day after Thanksgiving.  (Christmas KonMari=the act of removing superfluous decorations and such.)

I’ve also added my most recent “find”-an iron bed from the 1800’s that will someday-hopefully soon, take the place of the wooden bed occupying so much of that space.  And now there is one little pathway from the door to the closet.

Now you understand why closing the door is a necessity.  Out of sight, out of mind.  Because you see, it’s become so messy and now I don’t know where to start.  At this point, it would take a considerable amount of effort and time to clean up that disaster of a room.

I can’t help but think of my own heart.  It’s quite messy in there as well.  I’ve hoarded sin and shame and fear to name a few.  Honestly, it would be easier and less painful to keep that door closed too.  As opposed to inviting Jesus into the clutter.  I could ignore and just continue on with my good works.  As if they placed me in right standing with my Savior.

“She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”  Luke 2:7 NIV

You know what a manger is, right?  It’s a feeding trough used for livestock and wild animals. A feeding trough.  I wonder how dirty that makeshift bassinet was for our Savior King.  Remnants of old scraps, or dirty, moldy pieces of hay.  And there lay God in human flesh, right in the middle of it all.

We tend to romanticize Christ’s birth in beautiful Nativity Scenes.  But the truth is, it was far from pretty.  And God knew exactly what He was doing when He sent Jesus to us in the most poor and humble way.

He knew we would need a King we could identify with…not one who sits in a gold-filled palace.  He knew we would be filthy, messed up people in need of an unoffended Savior…a Savior that makes his home in the soiled mangers of our hearts.

And all we have to do, is open the door.  Without hesitancy or embarrassment we fling them wide, knowing He has already done the hard and holy work of washing us clean.

Because he comes to us-not as a baby in a manger, but as a Rescuer and Defeater of death.  The pure and spotless Lamb is happy to fix what we cannot.

Jesus, we say to you-

The “Vacancy” sign is lit.  There is room for you here.