And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
(Luke 2.7
NRSV)
"Oh," she said, "I would love to go. I heard that he would be coming one day and I have been looking forward to it. But I can't come now. I must set my house in order; then I will follow you and find him."
But when her work was done, the wise men were out of sight, the star shone no more in the heavens, and she never saw Jesus. That can happen. We can go through this whole busy Christmas season and miss the essential meaning of it all. It really makes no difference that a "No Vacancy" sign hung over an inn 2,000 years ago, but if a "No Vacancy" sign hangs over our hearts, it makes an enormous difference.
Lord Jesus, come into my life to stay so that my sign will always say, “No Vacancy.” Amen.